The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled-War Saga3
by DJ Dubois
Summary: When Lousain attacks both outer Earth and the Inner Realms, the Duboises, Nick, Xena, Gabrielle, and their allies need to join forces to stop the troll armies on both fronts. Trust me, big changes are coming! (Please read & review!)
1. The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled ...

The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled (War Saga 3b) (Part 1)  
David J. Duncan  
July 2002  


  
Notes: The characters from Forever Knight are owned by Sony Tri-Star. The characters from Xena Warrior Princess are from Renaissance Studios and StudiosUSA. The characters from Mutant X belong to Tribune and Marvel. All other characters and situations are fictitious and are of my own creation. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com.  
  
  
Prologue [A clearing, two miles from the still smoldering ruins of the Amazon village]  
  
Gabrielle, Bard Queen of the Amazons writes....  
  
The situation seems so hopeless and overwhelming. We've buried our fallen sisters and secured our position. Yet, we still have so much to do. David has just rejoined Angela, Francesca, and Livia in the future and is preparing for the inevitable assault to come.  
  
Xena tells me that we'll overcome these hurdles, but for once, I have my doubts....  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 [Dahak's realm]  
  
Deep within the fiery bowels of the unholy realm, Dahak brooded over the recent defeats. Most recently, he still felt angry over the mixed results in Amazon lands. While it was true that Velasca had leveled the village and wiped out many Amazons, in addition to pushing Dubois and Eve further toward their inner darkness, hope still remained bright among his adversaries. Now it was Lousain's turn to strike...and he hoped for greater success from this last offensive.  
  
A scream of pain echoed off of the walls toward him, causing him to momentarily forget about his problems. The guards who had allowed Hope to escape were being disciplined. After a few hundred lashes from the fiery whip, they wouldn't be so apt to fall short again. Still, the dark lord grew restless. He didn't want his enemies to recover and plan a counter strike. Hopefully, the wizard would be ready soon.  
  
As if on cue, a bright flash appeared in the corner, signaling the other's arrival. Once the flare had faded, the ebon-haired and bearded wizard strode up to the front of the room and sat in the seat just off to Dahak's right.   
  
"So, is it done?" the demon lord inquired impatiently.  
  
Lousain held up his hands, allowing the sleeves of his robe to bunch up at his elbows. Circling his wrists, two golden bracelets reflected the blood-red light of the signal fires. After a minute, they glowed with a faint blue light of their own. "It is," he agreed. "My forces are ready and await my signal, Dahak."   
  
"Very good," Dahak agreed, allowing his fangs to show through as he grinned. "My forces are ready as well." Standing up, he moved into the center of the room, considering their options. "How many trolls do you have?"  
  
"Close to half a million," the wizard indicated, flexing his hand. The surrogate limb still ached after years of use. Fifteen years before, his attempt to conquer the Inner Realms and Outer Earth had proven costly as his trolls were butchered, his sanctuary defiled, and at the end, his hand as well to the cursed Farali's axe. Over the years, he had sworn to avenge that indignity.  
  
"Are fifteen years a long enough time?"  
  
"Most definitely," the wizard concurred. "And if I had my way, I would not wait another minute longer!"  
  
"Then don't," Dahak replied. "I've prepared a portal for you. Signal the advance. It's time to move out on our enemies."   
  
The lord of the Dark Lands nodded. "It shall be done..." Waving a hand, he induced the flame to burn higher and brighter. "Hear me, my followers! After the years of waiting, it's time once again! Destroy the forces of light! Take what's ours!"  
  
The flames parted a bit, allowing them a view of the assembled horde on the other side. As far as the eye could see, cadres of trolls clamored, waving their battleaxes and swords in the air, and expressing their eagerness for the conflict.   
  
"Loritor!" Lousain called.  
  
At the head of the group, the lieutenant bowed his head slightly. "Yes, Milord?"  
  
"Take your forces to Nurrengaard and storm the accursed citadel!" the leader commanded.   
  
"It shall be done," the troll agreed.  
  
"Melitor," the wizard called.   
  
From the left, the slightly older beast ambled forth. Despite the scar in his left shoulder, he was still the best fighting monster in the dark legions. "Milord?"  
  
"I've got a treat for you," Lousain declared.   
  
"Dubois?" the demon hissed expectantly, rubbing the old wound.  
  
"Indeed, take 2000 of your best warriors to Outer Earth and deal with him and his ilk! I trust I don't have to give you any additional motivation."  
  
The troll leader snarled angrily, remembering his encounters first with Dubois and then, with the latter's daughter. "Consider it done, Lord."   
  
The wizard nodded and opened a portal beside the latter leader's group. "Then, go!"   
  
The trolls marched into the portal, vanishing from view.   
  
Following them, Loritor turned the remaining forces to the west and began the march toward Nurrengaard. The struggle was renewed and this time, there would be a different result....  
  
  
Chapter 2 [Althanor]  
  
Cybelle paced the shores of the lake with concern. Granted, it was great to see Dave up and about after his wound had nearly killed him, but she knew that he wouldn't take the time to heal properly. Not with the current situation in any event. "At least Angie'll keep an eye on him," she told herself as she headed for the House of Healing.   
  
Once inside, she inspected the rows of pallets on which the wounded Amazons lay impatiently, resting and allowing the herbs to do their work. Velasca's attack had left them badly injured, but the women hoped to be back on their feet soon.  
  
"Goddess knows they'll be needed soon enough," the high priestess muttered.  
  
Genaria hurried over and acknowledged, "Mother."  
  
The recently proclaimed head priestess squirmed uncomfortably. While she knew that the title and rank went with the position, she wasn't comfortable with them as of yet...at least not the responsibility which went with them. "How are the Amazons?"  
  
"They're recovering," the younger priestess informed her. "Hopefully, by tomorrow, a few of them will be completely healed."  
  
The elder woman nodded. "And Hope?"  
  
"She's resting in her hut under guard as per your request."  
  
Cybelle sighed. "Good. Keep an eye on her. Despite the conflict with her father, she needs to be watched carefully."  
  
The other bowed slightly at the waist and departed to check on the aforementioned guest.  
  
Noticing that Varia was circulating among the recovering patients, Cybelle approached the former queen. "How's your arm?"  
  
The former queen flexed her elbow. "Thanks to your healing herbs, I'm much better, thanks."  
  
"It's good that you heal quickly, Varia. We'll need your leadership skills very soon," the priestess indicated.  
  
"My sisters and I await Queen Gabrielle's order, Priestess," the Amazon noted. "After that, we'll fight to the last of our number."  
  
"I fear that time may not be long in coming," Cybelle stated, a tremor of anxiousness creeping up her spine. "My brother has told me of his experience with these forces we shall face. They have never penetrated the Great Veil as of yet, but with the power of Dahak, who knows?"  
  
"Your brother? You mean our queen's friend? David Dubois?"   
  
"Indeed," Cybelle responded. "He's my elder brother and survivor of two encounters with the demons of darkness."  
  
"Was that where the shoulder wound came from?" Varia wondered.  
  
"Yes," the priestess agreed. "From one of the darkest of dark forces-the Phantom Priests. If Lousain stands against us, they'll be called into the fray as well."  
  
"So, it is against these forces which we stand?" Varia posed, her eyebrow twitching, betraying her anxiousness to get on with it.  
  
"It is. I just wish that this would have happened before the last High Priestess passed on to the Other Side."  
  
The Amazon reassured her. "Sometimes, the situations pick us and not the other way around. It is meant for you to lead the Priestesses and for us to stand together, Cybelle. It was also meant that your brother should take the battle to the dark ones."  
  
"I know," Cybelle concurred, staring into the mist. "Sometimes, I wonder what the Mother has in mind for us all."  
  
*****  
  
[Faerie Lands]  
  
On the other side of the mists, the Faerie Empress wondered about many of the same things. True, she was the source of light for all living things, but for how long could she hold out against the combined dark forces? "The last time Lousain struck against Nurrengaard, I was barely able to hold back the tide. Who knows what will happen this time?"  
  
"We'll find out soon enough," a familiar voice replied.   
  
In front of her, a familiar old man entered her realm. His snowy white hair and beard not to mention his gait identified him immediately. "Grimwilkin. How opportune."  
  
"Indeed, Milady," he agreed, bowing ever so slightly. "We have a problem as I'm sure you know."  
  
"Yes. Once again, Lousain has returned," she declared. "And Dahak is by his side."  
  
"Even now, Meroli fortifies the gates of Nurrengaard against the coming storm. Although I suspect, the trolls will strike elsewhere first."  
  
"Outer Earth," she realized, an eyebrow perking with interest. "They mean to take the fight to Dubois and his friends then?" Turning, she studied the elderly face in front of her. Grimwilkin wouldn't bring such dark tidings unless they were true. "How long until the trolls reach the Citadel?"  
  
"About a week and a half at their current pace. Lousain could teleport them ahead as well," the wizard replied.  
  
That was their quandary. Where should they place their forces? Earth or Nurrengaard?  
  
"What is your advice, O' Wise One?" she requested earnestly.  
  
"Let's see how this develops. I will say that Ferali the Gnome will not stand for his brother in arms being attacked and doing nothing about it," Grimwilkin told her. "Meroli has granted him leave to travel to Earth at the first sign of trouble."  
  
"And you?" the Empress asked.  
  
"I shall accompany him. As you know, when the darkness spreads across the land, it will trigger the blade fragment embedded in David's shoulder. We need to keep his transformation under control."  
  
"Bring him and the others to Nurrengaard. There, I will meet with them. The other immortals...vampires as they are referred to on Outer Earth...they will be needed as well," she advised. "Nicolas de Brabant and Lucius of Pompeii are of strong character and veterans of vicious wars. Along with Xena and Gabrielle, they shall lead our last line of defense. Meantime, I shall send one of my attendants to fetch their clones. We'll need their help as well."  
  
"It shall be done, Empress," he agreed. "With your leave, I depart." Receiving a nod, he disappeared into the mist.  
  
Now that all of the pieces were just about in place, she glanced around at her paradise, hoping that all would remain as it is-not knowing if it would or not.  
  
  
*****  
  
[Heaven]  
  
Far above the clouds, two archangels and a regular angel were concerned with this matter as well. Staring into their viewing portal, an unlikely trio watched as the events unfolded.  
  
Michael grimly stared at the trolls' march. He had warned Dubois of the consequences. Once the other had defied him, he had set these forces in motion.  
  
Raphael watched these events with anxiousness. He admired the mortals and didn't want anything to happen to them.  
  
Lorenzo, for his part, couldn't contain his fear for his family. The concern was obvious to those around him. Knowing the outcome, he turned from the fountain and proclaimed, "This is madness!"  
  
"I warned him, Lorenzo," Michael told the deceased grandfather.  
  
"But...?" the other started to question but held back. No matter how he felt, he wouldn't question the Greater Good.  
  
"But what?" Raphael asked. "It's all right."  
  
"No, begging your pardon, Raphael, but it's not. Why should David have gone through more torment? He dispatched Dijon, did he not?"  
  
"He did, but there was another purpose to be served," the blond archangel explained patiently. "We need David to return to the Pit."  
  
"And he will do so?"  
  
"It's unavoidable," Michael continued. "He will face Lousain again. I am allowing the gnome to accompany him."  
  
Lorenzo shook his head, not comprehending the other's rationale. Finally, he walked off, leaving the two archangels behind.  
  
Raphael started after him, but Michael said, "No, let him go. It will all work out somehow. Lorenzo needs to learn this for himself. Now, come. We must plan for our role in this affair."  
  
With that, the two archangels departed from the area, already planning for the next phase of the events to come.  
  
  
Chapter 3 [Tucson]  
  
Nick lay awake in bed, listlessly tossing and turning. It had been a long week at work. Ramirez had been antsy. Tracy had been sick for three days with some weird flu. Finally, Schanke, fresh off of a fight with Myra, proved a bear to deal with during their shifts together.  
  
Despite all of these issues, his concern for Dave really occupied his thoughts. After watching the professor beat LaCroix in the museum, he knew that the situation had taken a definitive turn. He just didn't know how widely things had gone awry.  
  
After his friends' return, Angie had told him, Natalie, and Alyce about the battle between Dave and Velasca. Of particular note was the renewed pain from the blade fragment in the professor's shoulder. As the oncologist had explained, Dave had received the wound while fighting Lousain in the inky darkness of the Pit.  
  
In the days since, the darkness bleeding off of his friend overwhelmed the immortal detective's senses, telling him that the Child was struggling to gain control. But, worst of all, Nick felt himself being pulled back in time...  
  
****   
  
He saw Dave as a young man, facing LaCroix for the first time. The latter had hypnotized Tony Samuelssohn and ordered him to dismiss the class. Even then, the History graduate burned with rage over the intruder's arrogance. He also recognized his former master's disdain, underestimating the conflict brewing within the mortal.  
  
"I shall deal with you when the time is right," the Elder stated.  
  
"And what, pray tell, is the name of my creditor?" the young man posed indignantly.  
  
"You may call me LaCroix...LaCroix...LaCroix..." the immortal's voice echoed as the scene began to blur, a scarlet sheen bleeding across the image.  
  
  
****  
  
When the scene came back into focus, he saw Dave bolting up the front lawn of a handsome home now fully armed with the familiar bow and shafts. The student wore deep concern across his face, fearing for his mentor's life. Halfway there, an Oriental vampire intercepted him.  
  
"Don't worry about man. He'll be dead soon enough as will you!"  
  
Dave challenged him, but the words weren't clear. As the vampire backhanded the former, once again, the picture began to take on the reddish hue.   
  
At that point, the Child glared at the attacker. "Ah'm free!" Using the shafts and his powers, he staked the Enforcer and disposed of two others before coming face to face with their leader, Bertrand du Dijon. After a short exchange of blows in which the Burgundian had set fire to the house, they parted, exchanging vows of revenge against each other.  
  
Dragging his professor onto the lawn as well as the papers from the safe, Dave screamed his rage to the stormy skies, exchanging blasts with the storm's lightning reports. "DIJJJOOOONN!!!"  
****  
  
Next, Nick found himself in a dark place, lit only by the dim torches. In some ways, it reminded him of the Moorish prison where he had languished during the Crusades. All around him, several types of beings fought fiercely, the blood flowing freely, and the screams echoing about the room.  
  
He found Dave slashing and bashing what must have been the trolls. Finally, the librarian reached the dais where Angie was strapped down. As before, he eliminated most of the dark robed creatures. However, one of them stabbed him with an ornate ebony blade in the shoulder before a tall man with dark hair and beard blasted him into a daze. After a few moments, the Child once again emerged...and dealt with his attackers before collapsing again.  
  
****  
  
Briefly, his mind flashed into a wondrously lush place with the smells of dew and flowers not to mention a gentle breeze wafting through his hair. About twenty feet in front of him, he saw Dave being examined by a gaunt man with a long flowing beard and an ornately dressed woman with a luminous glow.  
  
She told the librarian. "The darkness has taken root in you, tapping into the hurt and anger there."  
  
"Can you help me?" he wondered.  
  
"Sadly, I cannot. Once you have faced the hurdles in front of you, then you and the Child must resolve your issues. Before that, you must face LaCroix and Dijon again," she told him as the image blurred again....  
  
  
****  
  
Now, he was back in the Raven's familiar surroundings. In front of him, Xena and LaCroix stood primed to do battle, but once again, he heard his friend's insulting remark, "Do you really think he would tell, LaCroix? For once, come down off of that high horse of yours...of yours...of yours."  
  
****  
  
Finally, he found himself back in his bed, his face perspiring with tiny splotches. The string of experiences he had just experienced told him two things. First, he realized that the bond between him and his friend had strengthened. Then, his friend's anger and spite toward the Elder had increased over the years. Sooner or later, one and only one would walk away from a final encounter between them.  
  
"Nick?" Alyce asked, the concern very evident in her voice.  
  
He glanced at the door to see her standing there. Her robe was askew and the slight breeze ruffling through her ebony hair. "I'm okay, Alyce."  
  
She shook her head, frowning knowingly. "I don't think so." Crossing the area rapidly, she continued to press, "Please, Nick. Don't shut me out."  
  
He sighed deeply. As much as he wanted to protect her, he realized that she would never accept being treated that way. "I'm concerned," he revealed, pulling on a robe over his silk pajamas.  
  
"About what?" she inquired. "Granted, there's a lot going on, but we've dealt with it. Haven't we?"  
  
"LaCroix's still pretty upset," he pointed out.  
  
"Well, that can't be helped, Nick," she replied, fighting the tremor of fear inside of her.  
  
"We shouldn't be looking for more trouble," he countered, staring out the window toward the mountains to the west. "Still, we have bigger problems than that."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"What if whatever attacked the Amazons comes here? As Angie told us, the trolls have invaded here before," he worried.  
  
She nodded. "Right. Well, I think we should prepare ourselves. However, worrying overly much about the issue isn't going to help us right now."  
  
He turned to her, embracing her tightly against him. While the Vampire craved blood, he wanted her companionship...her touch...to feel her warmth. Here at least, he felt safe and wanted.  
  
****  
  
Across town, Natalie looked out of her apartment window toward the east. The night looked so serene and peaceful. Yet, based on what Angie had just told them, she knew the peace couldn't last. Behind the pleasant vistas lurked something darker. While she couldn't see it, she felt something ominous.  
  
At her feet, Sidney brushed against her, purring with concern.  
  
"You feel it too, huh?" she wondered, stroking his back. "I know I shouldn't be so concerned, but..."  
  
"...but things involving Dave tend to turn out for the worse," Steve finished the statement as he entered the room.  
  
"You would know," she noted humorously.  
  
"Yeah, I would," he agreed, rubbing her shoulders. "And I thought I was the tense one." For two minutes, his hands kneaded her tight muscles, loosening the tension.  
  
"Mmm...that's better," she murmured appreciatively, closing her eyes and allowing a smile to crease her lips. "You should've been a masseuse."  
  
"I'll give it some thought," he supposed humorously. Certainly, it was better to be that way than to fret over the next oncoming crisis...  
  
****  
  
LaCroix removed his headset and shut down the radio console. Once again, the Nightcrawler ruled the airwaves. Just about any topic he threw to his audience as a discussion point received enthusiastic responses. Their appreciation was gratifying to say the least. Making sure that the studio was locked; he took to the air, flying rapidly to the El Gato Negro.  
  
Upon reaching the club, he entered through the front door, muscling past the vermin who waited for entrance as well. Descending the stairs, he sat at the bar, observing the other customers dancing, drinking, and conversing. The room was full...yet the Elder felt alone. His children weren't there. How he longed for Nicholas and Alyce to be at his side. A quick brush with their minds revealed many things. As always, the familiar noxiousness of his son's guilt overwhelmed everything else. However, there was something else more striking. Suddenly, images flooded the Roman's brain...memories of his first encounter with Dubois in the classroom nearly two decades earlier. How was Nicholas seeing these things? Then, he realized the answer. Somehow, the two men had forged a bond and shared feelings between each other.  
  
"I should have disposed of the mortal when I had the chance," he hissed. Seeing Janette approach from behind the bar, he greeted his former daughter, "Greetings, Janette."  
  
"Bon Soir, LaCroix," she replied hospitably. "Might I offer you a drink?"  
  
"Oui," he replied, albeit a bit testily. "Blood wine and not that swill I've seen you give to Nicholas."  
  
She frowned, allowing her anger to color her cheeks. "Of course not! I cannot abide it either, but his preferences are his own. But if my stock isn't good enough for you..."  
  
"No," he assured her. "Your wine is certainly that. I just...have a great deal on my mind tonight."  
  
"Indeed," she concurred. "I could tell from across the room...even through...shall we say...a second hand link?" Seeing his surprise, she continued, placing the drink in front of him, "My link to Nicolas allows me to feel you as well."  
  
"Then you know the source of my discomfort," he snarled, taking a ferocious gulp from the goblet.  
  
From their long association, the vampiress could guess. "Dubois. Ah yes, how are you doing with that defeat by the way."  
  
"Not tonight, Janette," he advised firmly.  
  
"But there is the matter of the link between him and Nicolas, no? That is something you created, LaCroix," she pressed.  
  
"And you have?" he asked indignantly.  
  
She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples as if fighting a migraine. "Oui. I have seen his rage with my eyes, but yet, I have felt the unending rage sweep over me like a tidal wave through Nicolas." She hesitated for a second, allowing the words to hang in midair. Then, she continued, "Rage directed at you."  
  
"How unique," he groused, taking a sip from the glass. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. Just as he had brought Nick across and had killed Divia, so had he provoked the final stages of Dubois' transformation. In a way, his miscalculations mirrored those of Julius Caesar. Although Xena had been a force in her own right before their meeting, Caesar's cruelty had turned her toward good and initiated her quest for redemption. It was a quest that had crossed their paths in both his mortal and immortal incarnations on several different occasions.  
  
"And now, what will you do?" she posed, taking a saucy sip from her own cup. "Hmmm?"  
  
Fighting back a bit of irritation, he inquired, "Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning, how will you win Nicolas back to us if you cannot deal with Dubois and Xena? The path goes through them."  
  
"Perhaps, he replied, feeling the germ of an idea forming in his mind. Perhaps, there was a way, but it would take some further planning on his part. Finishing the glass, he continued to plot, allowing the seed to take firmer root in his mind.  
  
  
Chapter 4 [A few hours earlier]  
  
The university campus lay quiet after the evening's classes let out. For the moment, the brisk pace of learning had ceased, allowing the university time to recharge itself for the following day's activities.  
  
In his office, Dave studied a chronicle pertaining to the latter Crusades, attempting to lose himself within the Latin text. Knowing that Nick might have been involved in the events described in front of him, the professor wondered how the Cathars had felt as waves of Christian knights crashed over them, destroying everything they knew. Then, more in relation to his current reading, he mused at how the Christians in turn felt as they were swept from Outremer by the advancing Mamluks.   
  
Allowing his mind to snap back to the present, he wondered if that was what awaited them. For the past week, the metallic fragment in his shoulder had burned, sending telltale signs of pain throughout his body. From these harbingers, he gathered that it wouldn't be long until Lousain made his move.   
  
Then, he felt a familiar emptiness...so much like LaCroix...yet not. "Divia, show yourself," he directed to the shadows.  
  
The vampiress semerged from the darkened hallway. "Impressive. So, it's true. You can sense our kind."  
  
"It's the stench," he baited, flipping another page and giving her a sideways glance. "Office hours are over. What is it?"  
  
"You, actually," she noted. "I wanted to observe someone like myself...someone whose essence is bound to darkness. Someone whose hatred for the father figure shapes what he is."  
  
He sniggered, "There's a lot more to me than that, Toots."  
  
"Is there?" she doubted, walking into the room and staring at him. "On the contrary, we're both angry children: lost, yet determined to gain vengeance."  
  
He laughed. "Oh, I get it. This is about LaCroix, isn't it? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Sweets, but I enjoy his misery as an ongoing project too much to end it now." Seeing her face flush with anger, he continued, "You could learn a bit about subtlety, you know?"  
  
"And you have?" she debated.  
  
"I'm the rational side, Honeybunch," he pushed sarcastically. "Apparently, my darker half takes care of the destructive stuff."  
  
"But its so liberating," she argued.  
  
He counted to ten, fighting the surge of anger rising within him. "Look, if you're trying to subvert me for Dahak, you're doing a lousy job of it."  
  
"He doesn't know I'm here," she revealed.   
  
"Oh right," she scoffed.  
  
"Really," she fumed. This mortal was really starting to get on her nerves at this point.  
  
He frowned as he put the book back on the shelf. This conversation was getting really tedious, especially under his current circumstances. "Look, I've gotta split." Giving her a mental shove out the door, he secured the door and turning his back on her, walked out the door and toward the east.  
  
"Don't you turn your back on me!" she roared angrily. By now, she was fully vamped out.  
  
"Watch me," he called over his shoulder.  
  
"If I can't have your assistance one way, I'll have it another," she hissed, zipping at him.  
  
But as quick as she was, he was faster. He fired a warning pulse, deliberately missing her by about a foot. "Ah...I'm not going...ta..warn ya...you again."  
  
She kept advancing despite his warning. "You will help me!"  
  
"Suit yaself," he muttered, feeling the Child operating cooperatively. With a single burst, he knocked her unconscious. However, in the process, he received a jolt of pain as a reward. Rubbing the tender spot again, he groused, "Someone really needs to work on her attitude." As the pain increased, he rushed to get to his car, hoping to get home before it overwhelmed him, but forgetting about her in the process.  
  
****  
  
Across town, Livia sat at the Duboises' dining room table grading papers. With each essay, she grew increasingly angry.  
  
"How can she tolerate this?" she ranted.  
  
"It's called living a modern life," Angie stated from the door of her study. "Could you keep it down please? The girls are sleeping."  
  
The conqueror scowled defiantly, but due to the link between her hostess and her mother, she knew better than to start something.  
  
"History's fun, isn't it?" the doctor inquired, trying to start a conversation. "Dave thinks so."  
  
"Not when these fools don't know what really happened," Livia replied tersely. "I can't believe that oration I had to give today...defending Eli. Simpering fool."  
  
"Eve doesn't think so," Angie commented, trying to remain calm. At times like these, dealing with her husband's moods had its advantages.  
  
"She's a weakling."  
  
"Not as much as you think," Angie responded, folding her arms across her chest. "You might learn something from her and vice-versa."  
  
"I'm sure your husband has such dialogues?" she posed amusedly.  
  
"He does," the hostess countered. "And both sides benefit."  
  
"That we do," Dave agreed, entering the apartment. "Angie's right, you should try it sometime. Nice self control today by the way."  
  
She nodded appreciatively. "So how do you...?"  
  
"Keep my composure? Sometimes, it's really hard, but I need a job so that we can eat."  
"Good point," she conceded, sipping on the coffee concoction in front of her,  
  
"Speaking of the wise wonders, you have Freshman 101 in the morning," he chuckled, sipping on a cup of tea.  
  
"AGAIN?" she exclaimed. "Those children know nothing!"  
  
He giggled at the remark.  
  
"Dave, cut it out," Angie directed, elbowing him.  
  
"She's right, Princess. They think the piece of paper is everything. Such are the wonders of our modern educational system. Fortunately, there are some of us who don't believe in giving free rides. Count Francesca, me...and Eve in that camp," he argued.  
  
"Oh right," their guest scoffed.  
  
"No, she doesn't. Give her some credit, will you?" he argued, feeling as if he was having another debate with the Child.  
  
"I suppose," she agreed, dropping it. "Was your...er...oration stimulating?"  
  
Angie studied him. For some reason, he was worked up over something. "Well?"  
  
"The class went fine, but I had a visitor afterwards," he noted, taking another sip of his tea.  
  
"Visitor?" his wife pushed. "Who?"  
  
"Her niece," he replied, motioning toward Livia.  
  
"Divia?" the conqueror wondered. "How?"  
  
"It seems that Dahak's security's getting really lax," he started, and then he rubbed his shoulder as another wave of pain cut through him. "Anyhow, get this. She asked me to help her and she promised to help me."  
  
"And what did she ask of you?" Livia pushed.  
  
"Oh just my help in eliminating your stepbrother," he revealed. "Tempting, but I don't think so."  
  
"As if you wouldn't want to get rid of him," their guest doubted.  
  
"He's a royal pain all right," Angie replied. "Still, I hope you weren't too tempted, Dave."  
  
"I want him dead, but it's not worth my soul in the bargain," he concurred.  
  
"So, where's Divia?" the oncologist wondered.  
  
He winced. "Crap! I knew there was something I forgot! I blasted her and walked away."  
  
Angie shook her head and paced the room. "You walked away and left her there? Dave, come on!" she lectured.  
  
"The way this thing's killing me..." he started, allowing his mind to scan the vicinity. "Shit!"  
  
"Not there, huh? Way to go, Hotshot," his wife baited.  
  
"There are two places where she could go," he noted, heading to the phone and dialing Nick's number. After ten rings and no message or machine, he sighed, guessing at the cause. "Let's go." Rising slowly from the chair, he thought for a minute. "What about the kids?"  
  
Seeing the light from the apartment across the way, she said, "Seems that Francesca's still up. Let's see if she can watch them for a few minutes."  
  
Livia looked at her hosts in confusion. "How are we going to get across town now?"  
  
"We're going in the Horseless Carriage again," he quipped, leading them out the door.  
  
A few minutes later, they were streaking west. Livia stared out the window, marveling at the dizzying speed and hoping that she could intercede before her niece was permanently hurt or worse.  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Nick and Alyce had curled up together in his bed. Although neither was really relaxed, the two immortals had managed to doze off.  
  
From outside of the window, Divia scowled to herself. Nicholas had apparently come to grips with his immortality. Worse still, it seemed that the woman with him was another of Lucius' children. "They're too happy." After allowing her anger to seethe for another moment, she crashed through the window. Before the two sleeping vampires could fully react, she was on them, flinging them to opposite ends of the room.  
  
"Oh, how this will hurt Lucius!" she crowed gleefully as she walked over to the curator. Seizing her victim by the throat, the ancient attacker raised Alyce into the air. "Another of Lucius' converts! Another victim!" Her nails raked her victim's face over and over again, drawing blood.  
  
Nick, having regained his senses, bulled into Divia, separating her from Alyce. After LaCroix had brought her across, he wouldn't let it happen again. Turning to his companion, he instructed. "Alyce, go!"  
  
"But, Nick, I can't leave you alone with her!" she protested.  
  
"I SAID GO!" he insisted, deflecting a blow from the blonde attacker. Feeling the familiar vibrations from outside, he continued, "The elevator! Turn it on!"  
  
She nodded, not wanting to leave, but sensing the cavalry outside. Streaking away, she determined to activate the system and get back there as soon as possible.  
  
Meanwhile Divia had landed a vicious left cross, sending her grandchild/brother across the room. "This really isn't personal, Nicholas. I do like you, but business is business!" she declared, raking his face repeatedly. "You're so pathetic." Flinging him down to the floor, she broke off a shard of oak from the dresser and approached him. Towering over him, she held the stake high in the air.  
  
Then, through the glass, she heard a taunting voice, "Couldn't stay 'way, could ya?"  
  
She knew the voice was Dubois' yet the tone was the Child's. Glancing in that direction, she saw him hovering somehow in midair, levitating more than three stories off of the ground.   
  
"Ah said back away!" the Dark One hissed, blasting her away from Nick.  
  
The attacker reconsidered her options. Dubois had released his darkness again, taking this fight to a whole new level. Based on their last encounters, she didn't recall him being able to levitate. "Come on if you dare!" she challenged.  
  
"Keep yer toga on, Bitch!" he growled, fighting off another wave of pain. Being that close to her, the shard burned even more. "Ready for your next whuppin'?"  
  
Snarling wordlessly, she flung herself into him, sending them through the bedroom door and down the stairs into the loft's main living area, landing with a sick thud.  
  
He kicked her back across the room. "Is tha' your best? Ah sure as Hell hope not!"  
  
She reevaluated the situation. Besides the levitating ability, he was much stronger than she remembered. Looking where his top had torn open during the impact, she saw the glowing scar. "Lousain's damn magic!" she hissed. Forcing herself to stand, she charged him again.  
  
He laughed heartily, backhanding her hard and sending her across the room. "Come n' git it!" he pushed.  
  
Not willing to take a hint, she readied herself again and charged...only to be stopped by a whirring blur streaking between them. "Stay out of this, Xena!" she hissed.  
  
"I don't think so," the warrior disagreed, catching her weapon and drawing her sword. Somehow, they needed to stop this fight lest Nick's loft be destroyed like Wabash's downtown.  
  
"No!" Livia protested, flipping across the area and landing between the combatants. "I won't let you die, Divia!"  
  
"Auntie Livia, how sweet....I do appreciate it. Really. But he has to die!" the immortal teenager dismissed.  
  
The conqueror stepped between them again. "This stops now."  
  
"Outta mah way!" the Child roared.  
  
"Cool it!" Xena asserted, restraining him.  
  
Reflecting the increased strength, he flexed, knocking the warrior across the room. "Ah...said...no," he snarled. Firing a pulse, he knocked Divia unconscious. "Git outta mah way 'less ya wanna be next."  
  
The Warrior Princess and Nick exchanged glances. This was the moment they had feared would come...the point where the Child was totally out of control.  
  
The former Crusader glanced about, looking for something to deal with the situation. Then, his eyes fell on the counter where a piece of sack cloth lay in plain view. Zipping faster than the eye could follow, he picked up the item. Feeling the piece burning his hands, he rushed over to his friend's side and shoved the cloth onto the wound.  
  
If they were waiting for a reaction, it didn't take long. The wound began to smoke and bubble. For his part, the Child howled, "Arrrggghh!"   
  
The two counteracting forces of light and dark repelled each other with such force that an explosion knocked the group off of their feet. A blinding light filled the room for a moment and then faded.  
  
Xena stood first and looked around. Seeing the cloth, she picked it up and looked it over. It seemed as if it were from a robe or something. "What is this?"  
  
"It...was a piece of the priest's vestments at Jaffa when we fought our battle there in 1291. He was extremely pious," Nick declared, getting up and helping Alyce to her feet.  
  
The warrior nodded and continued to look about her. Then, she heard a familiar voice call out, "Mother?"  
  
Turning, she saw her daughter rise, but the expression told her that it was Eve. "Eve!" she exclaimed, hugging her tightly.  
  
"Wow..." Dave sighed, rubbing his head. "The last thing I remember is standing outside of the apartment. Then, there was this brilliant light."  
  
"The light of faith," Eve informed him. "I saw it too." Seeing Divia's unconscious form, she wondered, "What do we do with her?"  
  
"Hopefully, Cybelle can figure something out," Xena replied. "Are you all right, Nicholas?"  
  
"No permanent damage," he reassured them.  
  
"I'm okay..." Alyce insisted, heading for the fridge. "I just need blood."  
  
"Thanks, everyone," the detective expressed.  
  
"No problem," Dave indicated, walking over to the window and scanning the horizon. Despite the miracle they had just experienced, the pain in his arm was already regaining its potency. Somehow, the sun hadn't yet risen and already the trouble had begun.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
[The Pit, Dark Lands]  
  
Lousain sat on his throne, overlooking the sacrificial chamber. Despite the effort put into cleaning the area, he could still feel the shame of the loss to Nurrengaard so long ago. He had been so close at that point, yet so far. The battle had hung in the balance...yet he had underestimated the darkness with Dubois.  
  
"I won't make the same mistake again," he hissed, banging his fist into the armrest. In temper, a burst scored the far wall, leaving a mark on the spot.  
  
Loritor bowed fearfully before him. "Milord, we are in position."  
  
The wizard glared at the underling, but restrained himself from incinerating it. "Very well. Move out."  
  
The troll nodded and backed away quickly.   
  
"Are you ready?" Dahak inquired, as the telltale flame appeared in the central brazier.  
  
"We are. I'll be on Earth," the wizard responded, standing up. "If you'll excuse me...." Raising his hands, he disappeared.  
  
Minutes later, the flame burned itself out as the demon lord turned his attention back to the affair at hand.  
  
  
****  
  
[The Citadel of the Four Winds, Nurrengaard]  
  
All that day, an ill wind had blown from the east, buffeting the fair city with its wrath. High above the cobbled streets, Merlori, the elf lord of the citadel, surveyed the eastern horizon as he witnessed the scarlet red haze hanging low on the horizon. Despite the omens, he hoped that the forces of darkness wouldn't advance beyond the Dark Lands again to threaten his realm anew.  
  
"May the forces of light protect us," he wished, staring into the sky.  
  
"We can all hope for such things," Grimwilkin replied earnestly.  
  
The leader turned to see the aged sorcerer standing side by side with the battle ready gnome. "So, you two are ready, are you?"  
  
"We are," Ferali confirmed, gripping his axe tightly. "With your indulgence, I will leave with Grimwilkin."  
  
"Go. I wouldn't bar you from serving at your brother-in-arm's side in his hour of need. I pray he remembers the need of his lord," the citadel commander relented.  
  
"He will," the wizard agreed. "Have not the needs of our realms always coincided? As before, we shall secure the outer realm first and then return here. So hath the Empress predicted. So shall it be. It is David's destiny to venture into the Pit again." Seeing the doubt in Merlori's face, he reminded the other. "He bears a fragment from the ceremonial dagger of Paldaar inside of him, exacerbating the anger within him. Last evening, he was nearly lost to us. Thankfully, the vampire knight and Xena kept him safe."  
  
"I see," the leader realized. "Well, go forth and fight well. Streaker awaits his rider. Meantime, we will be ready at your signal."  
  
"Thank you. Until the battle, then," the wizard concluded.  
  
Ferali bowed at the waist as well.  
  
With that, the wizard raised his staff to the sky. "Then, let us and our steeds be gone!" In a flash of light, the two travelers vanished from view, leaving the leader alone with his concerns and forebodings for the future.  
  
*****  
  
[Tucson]  
  
After the tumultuous events of the previous evening, the day passed without a noticeable incident at the university. Students came and went. The faculty continued their research.  
  
Just after sunset, Dave stared out his office window at the sky. While there was the usual panorama of colors painted across the sky, a scarlet smudge floated close to the mountaintops. "It's starting," he noted.  
  
"Right on, Bro'," Cybelle concurred as she emerged from the mist. "The evil is on the move."  
  
"Tell me something I don't know," he groused, rubbing the shoulder again. "My shoulder's burning."  
  
"Already?"  
  
"Yeah. That relic should've helped me for a few days at least, but it only reversed things for a while. Within an hour, the damned thing was burning again. By the way, how's Divia?" he replied.  
  
"She's still in stasis." she shrugged. "She'll sleep until I wake her. Hope is still under guard in the Amazon village." Allowing her eyes to glance out the window, she commented, "The sky turns dark. Are you ready?"  
  
"As I'll ever be," he told her, pointing to his bow and shafts. "Eve, Francesca, and I have late classes tonight. Angie's going to be waiting in here. She's got some research to do, and I want her close by in case anything happens."  
  
"Well, Deirdre has taken her sisters to safety," the head priestess noted. "They'll be out of immediate harm's way."  
  
"And how about you?" he wondered.  
  
"I'll be here as well. This is where the demon troops will strike first. Meantime, the Empress has taken charge in the hidden realm. Be prepared for anything," she pointed out.  
  
"When am I not?" he asked, inspecting his weapons. "Well, if you want to wait here, Angie will be by in a few minutes."  
  
Just then, a knocking came from the door. "Dave?" Steve inquired.  
  
"It's open," the professor pointed out.  
  
Walking into the area, the FBI agent took in the two siblings. Obviously, from the stern expression on his face, something had happened.   
  
"Okay, Steve, spill it," Dave urged.  
  
"Nat's waiting at a crime scene over at Himmel right now," Steve recounted. "Nick, Tracy, and Schanke will be there shortly. It looks like a ritual murder."  
  
"Ritual murder?" the priestess probed. "Dave, I need to get over there. Tell Angie I'll be back in a bit." With that, she opened a portal and left the area.  
  
Steve shook his head in wonder. "I'll say one thing about her, Dave. She sure does know how to get around. Speaking of going places, don't you have a class to teach?"  
  
The medievalist stared at his watch. "Yeah, in five minutes. Wanna come and watch?"  
  
"With the others over at the scene, I'd be in the way. Sure, I'll stick close to you," he replied with an air of sarcasm, knowing that if the shit was going to hit the fan, his friend would have the bullseye on his back yet again.  
  
"Be careful, Petersen. I'm giving a quiz to those kids tonight. Keep going and you'll be taking it with them."  
  
"No way. Agent's prerogative," he joked.  
  
"Which prerogative is that? I don't recognize any such thing," the instructor replied curtly, leading them down the hall.  
  
****  
  
A couple of blocks away, Natalie stood up from where she had stooped over the corpse. The victim, a college sophomore of about twenty years of age, had been bound to a stone bench and stabbed multiple times in the chest. Judging from the expression on his face, he had died in terror and agony.  
  
"Some people," she muttered, recalling the last time something like this happened. Just before Divia and Hope appeared outside of Angie's hometown, a string of ritualized murders just like this one had occurred. "I hope we nail the creeps."  
  
"You and me both," Schanke agreed, walking up to her side. Looking over the situation, he winced. "Yeesh! Who or what would do this?" Figuring that his partner would know about this stuff, he asked, "What do ya think, Nick?"  
  
The vampire detective scanned the area with his enhanced senses. Faint traces of blood were all around the bench. In the air, there was a faint odor...almost like a burnt candle. "It's a sacrifice all right. It's fits with what we know."  
  
"And that is?" Tracy wondered.   
  
Seeing the grim expression on Nick's face, Natalie wondered, "What is it, Nick? What happened?"  
  
"Divia attacked again last night. She beat on Alyce and me. Then, Dave showed up and handled her. Something was going on with him. He was nastier, more brutal than usual."  
  
His partners exchanged concerned looks. How could Dave's Child be any more brutal?  
  
"Does this have anything to do with that old injury?" Natalie wondered.  
  
"Everything. Apparently, the metal piece in his arm is acting like a magnet, drawing the energy from whatever is coming. What was the TOD? About 11PM last night?"  
  
"More or less," the coroner concurred. "Was that...?"  
  
"Exactly," he replied. "Angie said that as soon as they arrived, Dave bolted out of the car and changed. He floated up to my window."  
  
"Floated? Yeah right, Nick," Schanke scoffed.  
  
"He did," the other insisted.   
  
"Listen to him," Cybelle's voice urged.  
  
Looking about, they saw the priestess emerge from the mists.   
  
"Umm, this is a crime scene, Cybelle," Tracy pointed out.  
  
"So, are you as expert on the occult as I am?" Cybelle wondered in response.  
  
"Good point," Tracy concurred.   
  
"Are you all right, Nicholas?" Cybelle asked.  
  
"I'm fine. It's your brother that concerns me," Nick stated.   
  
"Yes. Apparently, the treatment didn't work as well as we had hoped. The fight with Velasca affected him greatly, and Divia's appearance more so. That was a very noble thing you did, Nicholas, with the cloth. You stopped a bigger confrontation," the priestess explained.  
  
"I did what I had to do," he replied with a shrug, examining the body anew. There were wooden splinters in the wound as well. Producing a baggie, he took a set of tweezers and secured the fragments for evidence. "We already have a suspect in custody."  
  
"Already?" Natalie asked. "But we just called this one in!"  
  
"Uniforms picked up some robed people making a ruckus on the university campus," Tracy reported. "One of them did have a bloody stake and some smoldering candles."  
  
Cybelle frowned. "You'll find out little from them directly, I'm afraid."  
  
"And you know what we're dealing with?" Schanke inquired half-seriously.  
  
"This is the work of Dahak's followers. The technique, however, belongs to the wizard, Lousain. Angie was once secured like this and nearly suffered his fate. Only the Child saved them all," Cybelle indicated. "I could go with you to question them or to watch."  
  
Seeing the others' concern, Nick proposed, "Is there a way you could stay invisible to the camera and to everyone except for let's say me?"  
  
"It can be arranged," the priestess agreed. "I can tell you when they're lying or which questions to ask."  
  
"Done," the former Crusader agreed. "Let's go."  
  
"I'll be in the lab a little later if you want to stop by," Natalie pointed out as they left.  
  
The others climbed into the Caddy and left for the Precinct.   
  
Chapter 7  
  
The scene inside of the bullpen was tense when Nick and the others arrived there. For convenience sake, Cybelle had vanished from view, but followed them on her side of the mists. As they made their way to their desks, Ramirez intercepted the trio.  
  
"Did you find anything at the scene?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Some splinters in the victim. The area had dried blood all around as well. Natalie and Forensics are wrapping things up there," Nick reported, holding up the evidence from the scene.  
  
"Well, the suspects are waiting for you in Room 1," the captain noted. "Buena suerte con estos."  
  
Tracy winced. "I'm really getting sick of all of this weird stuff."  
  
"All in a day's work, Trace," Nick assured her. "C'mon." Glancing about, his enhanced senses picked up on Cybelle's concealed presence just behind them.  
  
****  
  
Sitting around the table, the four suspects groused about their current situation. Instead of preparing to meet their Dark Lord, they would more than likely be sitting in jail under the watch of these supposedly official morons.  
  
"Hey, before the questions start, can we get some coffee?" one, a skinny man with blond hair and a beard, sassed.  
  
The guard shot him a dirty look. Nick and Schanke could be brutal with their interrogations. For once, this was going to be fun.  
  
Upon seeing the trio enter, the suspects composed themselves for whatever the fools were going to push on them. Soon enough, the situation would change.  
  
"So, when do we get our lawyer?" another of the group, a lanky redheaded woman demanded.  
  
"We can get you one. Of course, that means we would have to book you," Schanke advised her.  
  
The blond studied Nick for a minute. "Cool, Man. You should let us off."  
  
"And why would I do that?" Nick wondered, puzzled by the other man's remark.  
  
"I can sense this darkness about you," the prisoner reported.  
  
Glancing at Cybelle who was hidden in the corner, he saw her shake her head. Then, he pushed on, "You think so?"  
  
"I know it."  
  
Nick turned to the guard and suggested, "Can we have a moment alone?" Seeing the guard hesitate, he locked eyes with his associate, allowing the hypnotic energies to flow forth. "Listen to me, you really do need a cup of coffee. Go ahead. We'll be fine."   
  
"R...Right," the other man agreed and absently left the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
Now that they were alone, the former Crusader turned back to the matter at hand. "Now, what do you know?"  
  
The others smiled confidently. "We know about you, Detective. Our lord has a message for you. Join him."  
  
Tracy and Schanke exchanged nervous glances. With all of the weirdness going on, they didn't need Nick ducking out on them at that point. Worse, the former still remembered how weird Nick acted after that night at the exorcist's chamber.  
  
"I don't think so," Nick declined, shaking his head. "How about you offer me some information instead?"  
  
"Your loss," the blond told him. "Have you looked out the window lately? There's an intense storm coming and you'll want to be with us rather than against us."  
  
"I'll take my chances," Nick replied evenly, not allowing his frustration to show. "If you know about me then you know that I've taken some heavy blows in my time. I stand by my friends no matter what."   
  
"Such as the old lady in the corner there?"   
  
He glimpsed toward Cybelle, but faked, "Who?"  
  
The third prisoner spoke up. "Don't treat us as if we're stupid. We were picked for our abilities. Dahak gave us the ability to peer through illusion."  
  
Schanke chuckled, "That's it!" Rapping on the door, he got the guard's attention. "Get these three booked and to lockup."  
  
As they were being hauled away, the blond inquired, "What about your wife and daughter, Detective? What if they don't survive?"  
  
After the group had left, Tracy asked, "How did they...?"  
  
"Apparently, Dahak's raising the stakes," Nick replied. Extending his senses, he felt something wrong... "Come on!" With his partners following as best they could, he bolted out of the bullpen and down the stairs. Staring up into the sky, he could see the bloody sheen now extending itself across the city. "Damn!"  
  
"What is it, Nick?" she pushed.   
  
"It's starting," the vampire told them. "What do you think, Cybelle?"  
  
"I'd agree," the head priestess stated as she approached them. For the sake of appearances, she disguised herself as a normal person. Scanning the area, she sighed. "There's something in the desert west of the city."  
  
"Something?" Schanke inquired. "As in what? Damn it, Nick, Tracy asked you a question. What the heck's goin' on?"  
  
"Have you heard of the Apocalypse? This may be it," the priestess noted. "I have two stops to make and then, I shall meet you at the university. Good luck!" With that, she faded into the mists.  
  
"What the...?" Schanke wondered in disbelief.   
  
"It's starting...." he reiterated, allowing his mind to flash back.....  
  
****  
  
[1291 Acre, Outremer]  
  
Nick sighed to himself. After almost two hundred years of holding out against the Saracens, the Crusader states had fallen before the Mamluk war machine one by one. With each loss, the Christians had been pushed backward and their territorial holdings were reduced. The troops had hoped for some break...some relief, but none came. Finally, they retreated within the walls of this citadel, hoping for a few days to rest and recuperate.   
  
For two days, the scouts saw nothing coming from the desert. Then, at sunset of the latter day, something caused them to come riding back into the city hard and fast. "Close the gates! For the love of God, close the gates! The Saracens are coming!"  
  
Within minutes, church bells rang frantically within the city, stirring all to arms.  
  
For his part, Nicolas de Brabant dressed and stepped outside. His senses were attuned to the charged atmosphere surrounding the community. Given the amount of panic, nobody noticed as he ducked into an alley and zipped into the air toward the wall. Landing there, he saw a cloud of dust stirring a couple of miles away, signifying the Mamluks' approach.  
  
It seemed the final advance had begun....  
  
****   
  
[Present Day]  
  
"Hey, Nick!" Schanke called, shaking his shoulder. "Don't go strange on us right now, okay?"  
  
"I was just remembering another time and invasion like this one," Nick indicated. "Look, get back inside and keep an ear on the police band. We're going to have problems soon enough."   
  
"And what are you going to do?" Tracy asked skeptically.   
  
"Scout a bit," he told them, taking off into the night sky.  
  
For their part, the two mortal detectives were left speechless, still trying to make sense out of what they had heard.  
  
****  
  
Nick sped across the city as rapidly as he dared. Within minutes, he was flying over the barren desert west of town. So far, he could feel the invading presence, but could see nothing. Then, about five minutes out, he spied them-a small army of creatures corresponding to the description of trolls which Dave and Angie had given him. And they were moving quickly toward the suburbs  
  
"Roughly 2000," he estimated. "Damn!" Turning, he made his way to the east, hoping to pass this information on. Ten minutes later, he had landed outside of the El Gato Negro and ran inside.  
  
"Nicolas, what is it?" Janette wondered, placing a glass in front of him.  
  
"Janette, we need to get everyone...ready...to fight," he gasped, gulping the concoction and feeling some of his strength return.  
  
"Fight? Fight what?" his daughter inquired.   
  
Tracy stood up from where she'd been sitting with Vachon. Approaching him, she asked, "Did you find something, Nick?"  
  
"Que es?" Vachon wondered.  
  
"There's an army of trolls heading this way," Nick revealed. "When I left the precinct, I flew a scouting mission to see what was going on."  
  
"Trolls? You mean like in the nursery rhymes?" his partner scoffed. "C'mon, Nick!"  
  
"They match the descriptions which Dave and Angie gave me!" the Brabantine protested, gulping down a second glass of cow bloodwine.   
  
Janette exhaled deeply. "We need to speak to LaCroix about this. If we are to coordinate anything, Nicolas, he'll have to lead it as the Community Elder."  
  
"Right," he sighed reluctantly, not really wanting to talk to his former master. "Arrange it, Janette. I'll be at the U of A."  
  
"My pleasure, mon Cher," she concurred, picking up the phone as he left and wondering what was going to happen next.  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Even as Nick and the others were trying to prepare themselves for the coming assault, Angie sat in her husband's office with the door locked. While she would have preferred to do her work at the UMC, she understood why Dave wanted her close by. For the past two hours, she had poured over her notes, inputting the information into her laptop, and double-checking the citations.   
  
"I hope it's a false alarm," she said wistfully, stretching her arms to the roof. Then, her senses picked up on something amiss within the room.  
  
"I doubt it," a familiar voice disagreed. "But then, you probably already know that, don't ya?"  
  
She urged, "Ares, come out."  
  
The war god appeared in a flash of light. "Not bad, Angela. Not bad. In fact, only one other person has ever been able to pull that trick on me."  
  
"And what trick is that?" she wondered, trying to look secure. "I'm a telepath just like my husband. I could sense your aura."  
  
"Are you sure that's all there is to it?" he pushed. "I think there's something else."  
  
"Really? Like what?" she retorted coyly.  
  
"When I was healing Xena in the Amazon village, I felt a connection between you two. Now, how could that be?" he continued, staring her in the eye.  
  
"I had just given a piece of myself to heal her before you stepped in, Ares," she commented. "Think of it as a transfusion if you'd like."  
  
He chuckled. "True, but there is a lot more than that going on. I have to admit that I was curious at how Xena managed to pop up so fast when Callisto attacked the House of Healing. Some coincidence, ain't it?" Leaning up against a bookcase, he inquired, "How does she get to your husband's side so fast, huh?"  
  
"She's in tune with my thoughts, Ares," she sighed impatiently. This conversation was getting too close for comfort.  
  
"But this ain't her time," he pushed.  
  
She gave him an intense stare. "There's something you don't understand. As long as any friend of mine is around me, it is her time and place. I don't care if she's ancient, medieval, prehistoric, or whatever! Now, if you don't stop hassling me, I'll sic my hubby on you. He's itching for a fight right now."  
  
Just then, a knock came from the door.  
  
"Yes?" she wondered.  
  
"Angie, it's Eve. What's going on in there?" Eve asked, entering the room. Upon seeing the war god, she scowled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Nice to see ya too, Eve. Or is it Livia? I've lost track," he gibed.  
  
"You know who I am, you bastard!" she vented. "Stop bothering my friend needlessly."  
  
"Who's bothering her? I was just looking for your mother is all. I figured that I was in town and we could catch up on old times," he stated. Seeing the two women staring defiantly at him, he continued, "There is a big mess heading this way even as we speak. Your vampire friend has already discovered that. Get ready. Xena will need to be there...one way or the other." With that, he vanished into the shadows.  
  
"What was that all about?" the former Messenger wondered.  
  
"Oh, he dropped in uninvited. What else is new?" Angie retorted, trying to sound nonchalant. "What do you suppose he was getting at?"  
  
"There is great evil in the air, Angie," Eve noted. "I released my class early tonight for that reason."  
  
"I was wondering how you got here when you did," the oncologist mentioned, packing up her reading material. "Yes, I sense it too. I gather that Cybelle is checking it out." Glancing out the window, she saw the bloody red mist against the ebony backdrop. "He's right. The sky is just like the Dark Realm. Lousain has to be close by." She shuddered, recalling the last trip through there. "I can still feel the trolls' clammy touch even now."  
  
Sensing her friend's discomfort, Eve rubbed Angie's shoulder, reassuring her, "It'll be all right, Angie. Be strong."  
  
"Don't worry about that," the doctor stated. "I'll be ready." Looking at the clock on the desk, she presumed, "It's 8:45. Dave should be getting out of class any minute." Then, they heard a crash outside of the window. "What in...?"  
  
Just then, a frantic young woman ran into the building, looking around for assistance. "Help! Monsters!"  
  
Eve looked out the window. On the lawn outside, fifteen trolls were chasing students, tearing up the benches, and causing mayhem. "By Eli! Angie, look!"  
  
Her associate studied the scene as well. "Oh great. Well, it seems that we're about to get involved." Grasping the sword, she initiated the transformation.  
  
Once the change had finished, the warrior looked at her daughter. "Stay put," she directed, running out the door, down the hall, and outside.  
  
****  
  
Dave glanced about at the class with satisfaction. The students took in most of what he had said over the past hour and asked good questions. There were few glazed over expressions.  
  
However, about 8:35, the pain he had been feeling spiked dramatically. Not wanting to cry out in front of the students, he gripped the podium tightly and bowed his head.  
  
"Dr. D?" Brigid Shannon asked. "What's going on?"  
  
Steve watched the events with concern as well. Rising from his chair, he rushed over to his friend's side. "Hey, what is it?"  
  
"Lou---sain," he muttered tersely, shaking all the more. "He's close...here." Collecting himself, he managed to stand straight. "Every...one, Ah...I...need ya to pay attention. I...I'm dismissing class early tonight. Go...home and lock yer...your...doors. Be safe. Class is dismissed."  
  
Despite his dismissal, the students sat frozen in place. Despite the fact that their professor was different, they knew that he wouldn't let them go early unless something was dreadfully wrong.  
  
"You heard him," Steve reinforced, looking around.  
  
Just then, a young girl ran into the room hysterically. "Help me! Monsters!"  
  
"Ma'am, I'm a FBI agent. What's going on?" Steve pursued.  
  
"Th...There are several creatures...outside. They're heading this way," she reported fearfully, shaking like a leaf.  
  
At that point, Dave heard a crash coming from outside followed by a familiar battle cry. "Agent Petersen, can you get...'em outta here?"  
  
"Right," he agreed, motioning for the others to line up. 

At that moment, Toni Quintana ran into the room. "Guys, there's something weird going on outside!" 

Dave and Steve exchanged looks at one another. It figured that the former couldn't even get through one normal lecture without something bizarre happening. 

"Toni, call in the cavalry! You know who I mean!" the medievalist bellowed, while the pain increased. 

"I'm on my way!" she yelled frantically over her shoulder as she hurried for the stairs. Whatever was happening, Mutant X was needed badly. 

After she had left, the agent declared, "Well, what're you waiting for? Go, get 'em!" 

"Ab...sol..utely," the professor agreed with effort, throwing his things into the satchel, and hurrying out of the room. Reaching his office in no time flat, he opened the door to find Eve sitting there. "Wha?"  
  
"Mother's orders...I..." she replied and then winced. "Arrgh!" A bright red light surrounded her.  
  
"Now wha?" Dave growled, sensing the change within her.  
  
When she looked back up, Livia was again in charge. The warrior was again clad in her familiar red tights, armor, and cape. "And what's your problem?" she wondered.  
  
"Who me?" he asked, grabbing his bow and shafts. "Nothin' Just a damn migraine...Nothin' that killin' a few trolls won't stop."  
  
"Then, what are we waiting for?" she inquired, running out the door.  
  
He smiled, following closely behind.  
  
****   
  
Meanwhile, the trolls marauded their way down Third Street, smashing their way through the main university gate, and looking to cause destruction. Despite their brothers' numbers on the edge of this hovel, their job was to intimidate the filthy flesh bags scurrying about them.  
  
Just behind them, Lousain walked almost casually, enjoying the scene around him.  
  
When they had reached the grassy area in back of a particularly old building, a single note intruded upon their orgy of destruction.  
  
"AIAIAIAIAISHHEEEEYYYAAAAHHHH!!!"  
  
From out of nowhere, a metallic blur zipped toward them, taking out three of their number before skipping back into the shadow from whence it had come.  
  
"Xena!" the wizard challenged. "Show yourself!"  
  
At the invitation, the Warrior Princess sauntered out into the light. "Lousain, right? We finally meet. I've heard a lot about ya."  
  
"It's still twelve against one," he doubted. Pointing at her, he ordered, "Get her!"  
Needing no other goading, the band advanced on her.  
  
The warrior grinned savagely, twirling her sword faster and faster in front of her. She was going to carve her share of troll flesh on this night no matter what.  
  
Then, two trolls fell backwards, hitting the ground shortly before they died. Imbedded in their foreheads were familiar red and blue tailed arrows....  
  
"Now, it's ten to three, Scum!" Dave growled, already firing off another volley.  
  
Livia smiled in anticipation. Leaping to her mother's side, she wondered, "Did you leave some for me?"  
  
"Take all ya want!" Xena replied, parrying a sword thrust.  
  
"Thanks, Mommy," Livia snickered, jumping into a fight with another monster.  
  
"David!" the Warrior Princess bellowed.  
  
"Yo!" he replied, taking out another troll with a shaft.  
  
"How ya doin'?"  
  
"Oh, about the same. About ready to explode and all that," he sassed darkly, wounding another adversary in the leg. "Damn, missed!" Willing up a pulse, he fired, hitting the creature point blank and finishing it off.  
  
Even as they bantered on, Livia had killed two more creatures. "I think that's eight."  
  
Dave bunched six shafts in his hand and tossed them in the air. Gripping them with his mind, he flung them into the enemy, killing the majority within a heartbeat.  
  
Xena finished the last two trolls with relative ease.  
  
For his part, Lousain had sat and observed the proceedings. While he admired the efficiency with which they had disposed of his advance guard, he determined that it was time to end the proceedings. Willing up a blast, he fired, stunning both Xena and Livia. Wheeling on Dave, he fired again.  
  
The medievalist grinned, forming a shield that deflected the blast. "My turn." He fired a pulse, knocking the wizard off of his feet. "I've been waiting for this." Firing blast after blast, he sent Lousain flying backward. Now that he was in his adversary's presence, the pain was at its most intense. "Invade my home, will ya?" he growled savagely, bordering on allowing the Child to come out.  
  
Lousain stared at the human advancing on him. While they did need to face each other, he wanted his full armies behind him at that point. "I'll be waiting for you in the West, Dubois!" he roared, fading away.  
  
"Damn coward!" Dave hissed. Then, seeing the two woman warriors climbing to their feet, he asked, "You all right?" Seeing them both nod, he scanned about the area with his senses. Already, the trolls' carcasses had disintegrated, leaving no signs of their existence. Fortunately, the trio had stopped the creatures from doing any damage to the buildings around them.   
  
Then, he felt a familiar emptiness overhead. "Nick?"  
  
The former Crusader alighted on the ground by his friend's side. "I just arrived. That was Lousain?"  
  
"In the flesh, so to speak.." the historian shrugged. "He said that there was some sort of army west of here."  
  
"There is. I flew over the West side. There are 2000 of those things," the detective advised.  
  
Xena looked first at her daughter and then at Dave. While disposing of fifteen hadn't been too difficult, increasing the number by 800 times would stack things too highly against them.   
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
[Mutant X Sanctuary]  
  
It had been a quiet day as far as the Mutant X team was concerned. The GSA hadn't tried to grab any other new mutants. Better yet, Adam had given them a day off from their combat simulation exercises to meditate and collect their thoughts. However, despite the lack of outward threats, a sense of unease hung over the facility as if something was going to happen.  
  
Emma slept restlessly. After a quiet period lasting several weeks, Dave Dubois' thoughts had begun to bleed into hers again. As before, she sensed his struggle with some really powerful Amazon warrior and the reemergence of the Dark Other. Despite the attention of women dressed similarly to Deirdre, she could tell that he was still getting worse. On the previous night, she "felt" his battle with the girl-vampire and the increased rage followed by the miracle pulled off by Nick to pull their friend back.  
  
But that was before tonight....  
  
Increased fury flooded her brain. The pain increased almost akin to what the professor had felt with the sub-dermal governor. Somehow, he kept the Child at bay, fighting with his own abilities in dispatching the enemy beside Xena and Eve.   
  
Then, through his eyes, she saw the man with dark hair and a beard step forward. Unbelievably, his anger surged higher as he blasted his adversary across the courtyard, screaming, "Invade my home, will ya?"  
  
She jolted awake, sweating and shaking. Something was going on down in Arizona. Right now.   
  
In the adjacent bed, Shalimar stirred. "Hey, Em...what's goin'...on?"  
  
"Something's going on down in Tucson," she sighed, pulling on a robe.   
  
"Dave again?" the feral wondered, sitting up and rubbing her head.  
  
"It's not his fault. Not if he can't get a moment's worth of peace!" the empath protested, opening the door and rushing down the hall toward the command center.  
  
****  
  
Meantime, Jesse sat at his computer keyboard, surfing the Internet, and reading reports on the digital projection image floating in the air in front of him. Over the past hour, the police bands had been extremely busy with activity.  
  
Then, the "incoming video call" message appeared in front of him. "What in?" he wondered, opening it.  
  
The database opened a view screen showing Toni's panicked face. "Jesse! Thank God!"  
  
He stared at the screen. "Toni, what's going on? Are you okay?"  
  
"For the moment," she sighed. "Don't worry. I'm safe." A crashing noise could be heard in the background. "But it might be a short moment."  
  
"What's going on down there?" he demanded, fearing for her safety. "Where are Dave and the others?"  
  
"Outside dealing with the situation," she replied. "Agent Petersen got the students out. Dave asked me to get a hold of you folks. We have a situation down here."  
  
The density mutant scratched his head and looked at the clock. 12:54 AM. While he knew that everyone wouldn't be thrilled with the early wakeup call, it was necessary. Pressing a button on the side of the console, he sent a signal to the others' rooms, stirring them from their sleep.  
  
At that moment, Emma hurried over to where he was. "Jesse!"  
  
"Hey, Em, are you picking up on this too?" he wondered.  
  
"If you mean Dave, I've got a really good idea of what we're dealing with," she replied, her voice strained by pain. Looking at the screen, she told Toni, "I know what's going on down there."  
  
"We'll be there ASAP," Jesse promised, getting up from the chair. Whatever was going on, Dave and the others needed Mutant X's help.  
  
At that moment, Adam, Brennan, and Shalimar rushed into the area, responding to the alarm.  
  
"Hey," Adam asked. "What's going on? Shalimar told me about your vision, Emma, but do we have any other confirmation?" Looking at the screen, he asked their friend, "What is going on down there?"  
  
"We're under attack by something really strange, Adam. Dave and the others are dealing with it, but he asked me to get a hold of you. I heard something about monsters."  
  
"Adam," Emma interjected. "I saw him fighting some sort of creatures...almost like trolls..."  
  
"Trolls?" Brennan cracked. "You mean as in the nursery rhymes? Come on."  
  
"They're real," the empath insisted, rubbing her head. "As is their master. Oh man, we thought we had seen him at his angriest....There's a guy with black hair and a beard which sent his moods off of the charts."  
  
Adam nodded with concern. Given that they were about to start sending new mutants down there, they needed to stabilize the situation immediately. "Okay, people. Let's get moving. I want to be in the Double Helix and underway in ten minutes. Let's go!"  
  
"There's a faster way, you know," a familiar voice told them.  
  
Turning, the group saw a column of mist appear in the corner. From it, Deirdre Dubois stepped into the room. "Sorry, I would've let you know I was coming, but we have a bit of a situation. Let's get onboard your ship and then, I can teleport us there. We may need every weapon we can get."  
  
"Right," Adam agreed, motioning for the others to get ready. Within minutes, they were onboard and away from Sanctuary.  
  
"My turn," the young priestess told them, concentrating. Ten seconds later, a misty blanket had descended upon the streaking ship transporting it across the country in the blink of an eye. When the fog had burned off, things were quite different.  
  
"Where are we?" Adam wondered, looking at the instruments. To his amazement, they were in western Pima County heading due east for Tucson. "That is some trick that you just pulled, Deirdre."  
  
"I'll say," Jesse concurred staring dumbfounded at his instruments and not believing what she had just pulled off.  
  
"Ancient Celtic secret," Deirdre deadpanned, trying not to get too nervous.  
  
At that moment, the instruments lit up like a Christmas tree.   
  
"What the heck?" Brennan wondered, glancing over the display. "Hey, Adam, what's with all of the specks? It looks like there's a small army on the ground there."  
  
The leader studied the display. "That's what the display says. Stealth cloak."  
  
At that command, the Helix vanished.  
  
Shalimar took the ship in low, beneath the clouds. Beneath them, the ground seemed to move.  
  
"What?" the feral wondered.  
  
The priestess winced. "That's the troll army all right. And we're right on the city limits. Let's get Papa and the others at the university."  
  
"Heading in," Shalimar replied. Two minutes later, the craft hovered over their destination, setting down on the grass beside the fountain. Once they were sure that no bystanders were in sight, the hatch opened allowing the group to walk onto the scene. All around them, black stains singed the ground, but fortunately, there was no other apparent damage.  
  
Over by the Social Sciences Building, they saw Dave talking with Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, Toni, and Nick.  
  
"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Adam inquired.   
  
The medievalist turned to face his friends. "We had some uninvited guests. As you can see, we got rid of them."  
  
"Well, there are more on the way, Papa," Deirdre pointed out.   
  
"Yes, the remainder of the troll army," Nick agreed. "Where exactly are they?"  
  
"They're about a half mile from the city limits," Jesse indicated.   
  
Dave glanced at Xena and Gabrielle nervously. If the estimates were right, how were they going to turn back an army of that size? "Outnumbered 200 to 1," he sighed. Seeing Steve running toward them, he asked, "Where are the kids?"  
  
"We got them out of here. The campus is being evacuated," he reported in between deep breaths. "Dave...there are reports of devastation from the West Side."  
  
"We have to move fast," Xena concurred. "How much of that Greek fire do you have?"  
  
"Not nearly enough," the professor informed her.   
  
The government agent thought quickly, recalling the tanker flight shipment leaving from the airport. "There is the fueling plane leaving from the airport."  
  
"What are you getting at?" Adam probed.  
  
"Dave uses napalm as a burning agent, right? Well, if we could get that army in the clear, we could dump the fuel on top of them. Then, if we could ignite it...."  
  
"Not within the city limits," the professor disagreed, recalling the explosion used to take out the Magog. "We'll have to fight them on a smaller scale." Turning to Nick, he wondered, "Any chance of getting LaCroix and the others involved?"  
  
"Janette said she'd check into it," the detective replied.  
  
"Whatever she does, we'd best move fast," Gabrielle urged, looking at the western horizon. Already, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the fires and destruction.  
  
"Let's get onboard the Helix and see what we can do," Adam decided, guiding the others toward the ship.  
  
Minutes later, they swooped over the besieged area. The trolls were wrecking everything in their path, causing thousands of dollars in property damage. Fires burned the old structures. Fortunately, most people had already fled. Worse still, the police on the scene were being tossed aside like rag dolls.  
  
"We can't just stay up here," Dave told them, grabbing his shafts and bow. Then, he spasmed and grabbed at his left shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Chief. You can't exactly go down there in your present condition," the electrical mutant protested.  
  
"W...Watch me...." The professor growled. "This 's mah home...."  
  
Emma rubbed his shoulder. "Calm down. We'll figure something out."  
  
Nick stared down into the war zone, allowing his mind to drift back.....  
  
*****  
  
  
[Acre 1291]  
  
Nick rushed about the wall, sword in hand, ready to defend the citadel along with his counterparts. Everyone stood ready to resist the advance, to die holding onto the final few inches of sand along the sea.   
  
"Are you ready to do your duty for God?" the elderly monk, Bernardus, asked reverently.  
  
Staring over the wall, the immortal Crusader took in the seemingly unending numbers in the Mamluk advance in front of them. "I'll stand as long as I'm able...."  
  
"Then, you shall be saved, Sir Nicolas," the monk presumed. "Go with God." With that, he walked away toward the next man on the wall.  
  
As Nick took another look, the realization hit him of just how difficult this task was going to be. Nothing short of a miracle would save Acre from annihilation. Perhaps, he should just slip away despite the promise he had just given to the old man a moment earlier.  
  
"That is a prudent thought, Nicholas," a familiar voice advised, reading his thoughts.  
  
Feeling the familiar emptiness, he turned to see LaCroix standing behind him. The Elder's face was placid as always. "Poor Nicholas. Always the idealist, aren't you?"  
  
"Isn't there a place you would defend to the death?" the younger protested.  
  
"Ah...there was such a place, but it was buried under a volcanic eruption so long ago," the Roman disagreed, grasping the other's arm. "Besides, we are beyond Death's grasp. Did I not teach you that on the night I brought you across, Nicholas? Why do you concern yourself with this squabble? Acre is doomed as are these mortal rabble you fight beside. Come with me now."   
  
"They are my brethren, LaCroix," Nick answered curtly, shrugging off his master's grip.   
  
"Very well, Nicholas," LaCroix sighed disappointedly. "You will learn the error of your ways." With that, he took off into the inky darkness, leaving the younger to listen to the initial bombarding of the walls in his wake.  
  
****  
  
[Present Day]  
  
"I agree with Dave," Nick indicated, snapping out of his reverie. "If we're going to do something, then we need to do it now before they entrench themselves."  
  
"You sound as if you know how to do this," Jesse surmised.  
  
"Lots of experience with the Crusades," Nick muttered. "I was involved in most of the thirteenth century ones."  
  
Adam nodded. "Yes," he agreed, recalling his history lessons. "No offense, but you let the enemy trap you inside of the walls."  
  
"Right," Nick concurred. "Is there a way to buy us some breathing room?"  
  
Xena stated, "Too bad we don't have any army."  
  
"Maybe we don't need to have one," Emma interjected.   
  
"Wha?" her comrades wondered.  
  
Dave smiled. "I think I know where she's going with this. What if we were to create the illusion that there was an army...let's say the armies of Nurrengaard...in front of them? We could drive them out of the city into the open desert." He looked at Steve. "Then, we could use his idea without hurting anyone. If we can get them to this point." For a point of emphasis, he placed his finger on a spot on the map.  
  
"But could we get that plane on short notice?" Adam asked. "Commandeering a plane like that would attract too much attention."  
  
"Not if there's official help," Steve pointed out. "Can I make a call from here? It's a secure line."  
  
"Do it through our comm channel," Jesse requested, pushing a button and setting up his phone to work with the Helix's cloaking technology. "Go ahead."  
  
"Thanks," the agent agreed, making the call. For about ten minutes, he argued with level after level of supervision. Finally, he invoked some code and got the plane. "They'll be at the spot in fifteen minutes."  
  
"Good," Adam complemented. Turning to the telepath, he wondered, "Are you up to this, Emma?"  
  
"I guess we'll find out," Emma sighed, focusing her concentration. "Dave, do you have a memory I can use?"  
  
He nodded. "Go for it."  
  
She locked eyes with him, finding the image of Nurrengaard's armies. Finding a number of massive proportions under the leadership of a single magnificent leader on a white charger, she was amazed at the sight. "Wow...."  
  
"Got it?" he inquired.  
  
"Yes," she agreed, turning her attention on the masses beneath them. For a few minutes, she inserted the image in mind after mind. "That should do it."  
  
At that moment, the horde turned tail and retreated back to the desert.  
  
"Keep it up, Emma! It's working!" Adam urged reassuringly.  
  
Emma nodded, the sweat beading on her forehead and the stress clearly evident.  
  
Slowly, the marauding mass backed out of the city, leaving the carnage behind. Five minutes later, they were out of the city entirely.  
  
"Jesse, Shalimar, how are we doing with the next phase?" Adam wondered.  
  
"Plane's coming up quick," the density mutant replied. "It's a minute away."  
  
"Great," the leader responded. "Steve, you want to get on the line again? Tell them to dump that mix?"  
  
"Right," the agent agreed. "Get ready, Dave." With that, he got on the phone.  
  
"Uh huh," the professor grinned. "Hey, Sparky, you wanna make yourself useful and light me at the signal?"  
  
"Sure. You're not going to do what I think you're going to do. Chief, I know you're nuts, but that's insane," Brennan disagreed.  
  
"We've gotta light 'em," Dave informed him. "Otherwise, this isn't gonna work! Adam, is there some sort of harness with this thing?"  
  
"Excuse me, Papa," Deidre interjected. "I can give you an opening of sorts. From within the mists." Seeing everyone look at her with uncertainty, she continued, "Auntie showed me how to do it."  
  
"How much have you been practicing?" her father wondered. "You know we're about half a mile in the air."  
  
"I know."  
  
"And you can do it?" he inquired.  
  
"It doesn't matter where we are...as long as we stay within the mists," the priestess replied. "Well?"  
  
For a long minute, he looked at the others and took in their doubt. This was a big risk in itself, but, for their plan to work, they had little choice. "Can you folks hang around in case something goes wrong?"  
  
"We're not going anywhere without ya, Big Guy," Shalimar told him.   
  
"Good luck...both of you," Xena told them. "Angela says to please be careful."  
  
"We will," Dave promised. "See ya in a bit. Ready, Deirdre?"  
  
"As I'll ever be," his daughter responded, albeit more securely than she felt. Opening up the mists, she motioned him through before closing them behind her.  
  
The others could only watch and prepare for the next phase, wondering if their friends would make it back.  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
As he flew ahead, Colonel Mark Grayson sat in the cockpit, still trying to get a handle on the situation. Up until about an hour ago, he was to have delivered his payload to a base outside of Denver. Then, his superiors had changed their minds...mentioning something about an emergency in the desert. Although he didn't really understand, he followed his orders. Taking off from the air force base, he made a beeline for the coordinates he was assigned to.  
  
Reaching the spot, he looked down to see a mass of moving creatures beneath him. "What in?" he wondered. From the reports he had heard on the way over, he assumed these were the causes behind the destruction on the West Side. "Sweet Mother of...there are enough of them... Here goes!" Pulling the release lever, he flew over the mass, dumping his load across their numbers. Then, he quickly banked and headed back to base in case he was needed there.  
  
****  
  
From inside of the mists, Dave waited as he watched Grayson follow his orders. Beside him, five explosive tipped projectiles waited for their task.  
  
"Are we set, Papa?" Deirdre wondered.  
  
"It seems so," he assured her. "Can you open the door?"  
  
"Right," she agreed. "Just stay inside here, OK?" With a wave of her hands, she parted the fog in front of them, revealing the robin's egg-blue sky in front of them, and the armies about 75 feet below them. "Good luck."  
  
"Thanks," he responded pleasantly, ruffling her hair as he had when she was a toddler. Then, he struck a match, lit the first bomb, and fired it into the trolls' midst. Four times more, he repeated the action, hitting a different part of the mass with each shot. Finally, he requested, "Let's get back to the ship."  
  
"Right," she concurred, snapping her fingers and transporting them back to the Helix.  
  
****  
  
Upon each impact, the explosives set off the flammable liquid coating the invaders, covering them in flames. They howled and screamed in agony, dropping to their knees, and then, falling dead to the ground. Despite their quandary, they couldn't tell who had done this to them. For the most part, only 150 of the original party survived the attack with second-degree burns or less.   
  
Lousain glanced up at the sky. Somehow, Dubois was behind this sneak attack. "Well done...cowardly, but well done. There will be another time." Conceding this front as a lost cause, he disappeared from the scene, abandoning the remaining trolls to their fate.  
  
****  
  
On board the Helix, the group admired the precision with which the counterattack had been carried out. First, in Steve's convincing Grayson's superiors to have him dump the fuel and then, in Dave's strategically placed strikes, setting off the majority of the invading army and reducing them to ashes. While the loss of life was regrettable, at least they had a shot of saving the city.  
  
"How's it look?" Dave asked, stepping back into view.  
  
"They're down to about 150," Adam noted, viewing the scans. "More manageable odds."  
  
"They're panicked," Emma related. "Fire from the sky isn't something you see everyday."  
  
"Well, I think we can mop the rest of them up," Xena assumed, drawing her sword.   
  
"I say let's do it," the professor agreed. "Nick? Guys?" Getting nods all around, he glanced at his daughter. "Ready?"  
  
She took a deep breath and opened another portal. "Be careful, everyone."  
  
They nodded in agreement, stepping through the portal, leaving Steve and Adam behind to keep things going onboard.  
  
****  
  
The portal opened right in the midst of the writhing throng. All around the party, the trolls turned to see the newcomers.  
  
"Get them!" Melitor bellowed, pointing his sword.  
  
Dave grinned savagely and started firing pulse after pulse, taking out multiple creatures at once.   
  
Xena gyrated between them, slinging her chakram off of several adversaries and gutting others.  
  
Nick, although regretful at having to kill, slew several enemies as well.  
  
For their part, the members of Mutant X dispatched the others efficiently with massed fists, terrifying mental images, ferally powered blows, and electrical bursts.  
  
About an hour later, the group stood in the midst of their fallen enemies. Amazingly enough, other than minor bumps and bruises, they were unharmed.  
  
"Is it always like this?" Brennan wondered, taking a deep breath.  
  
"With these guys, yeah, pretty much," Dave responded. "Oh, don't worry, there are more of these creeps where they came from."  
  
"More?" Shalimar wondered.  
  
Gabrielle stared anxiously at her soul mate. "What's he getting at?"  
  
"He's right," the warrior replied. "They're from the Dark Realm, and that's where we'll go next."  
  
"Indeed," a familiar voice added from behind. Turning, the group saw Grimwilkin and Ferali approaching from behind. "Well done...all of you."  
  
The professor bowed at the waist to his friends.  
  
"Now, you're bowing to me?" the gnome cracked. "First, you don't leave me any skulls to crack and now, you're bowing like one of Meroli's courtiers?" Receiving a stern look from the wizard, he shrugged silently.  
  
"Come, Meroli awaits you," the older newcomer bade.  
  
"Actually...can we meet with everyone first?" Dave requested. "I want to plan a bit."  
  
"We have a little time for such things," Grimwilkin agreed, waving his hands and teleporting them away.  
  
  
****  
  
Onboard the Helix, Adam reviewed the sensors again. "They did it!" he noted.   
  
"Well, that's a relief," the agent agreed, wiping his brow. Another mess had been dealt with.  
  
Then, in a flash of light, the others appeared back in their midst.  
  
"What?" the geneticist wondered, jumping in surprise.   
  
Dave stepped forward. "Adam, these two are Grimwilkin the wizard and Ferali the Gnome. Grimwilkin, Ferali, this is Adam. He's the leader of the group who fought beside Nick, Xena, Gabrielle, Livia, and me."  
  
Adam shook their hands before he realized, "You're Grimwilkin? As in the wizard of the Inner Realms?"  
  
"You know him?" Shalimar interjected.  
  
"I know of him...actually, there are myths surrounding him," the leader explained. "It's an honor."  
  
"Thank you," the older man accepted. "Your group fought well. We may have use for you against the larger enemy."  
  
The leader gave the other a quizzical look. "I'm sorry, but if you're talking about going to your realm, we can't leave Earth or our community undefended."  
  
Seeing Grimwilkin bristle, Dave stepped in. "Actually, this works out according to my plan."  
  
"Which is?" the wizard inquired testily.  
  
"Adam, perhaps Mutant X might keep an eye on things while we're gone? In case the remaining beasties get by us, I want some backup ready on this end. I figure that the vampire Community and the FBI could do the same as well," Dave proposed.  
  
"We can do that from Sanctuary," the leader agreed. "Is that suitable, Grimwilkin?"  
  
"Indeed," the wizard concurred.  
  
"I'll keep the Bureau on top of it," Steve chimed in.  
  
"I'll need to check with LaCroix first," Nick declared. "Can the rest of you go on without me?"  
  
"Actually, we'll go together. I want His Egotisticalness in on this venture too," Dave told him. "Okay, everyone into the mists so we can let Mutant X get on their way."   
  
Deirdre nodded, opening a portal and guiding the others through. "We'll be waiting for you, Papa."  
  
"Thanks for helping, Adam. Everyone," the professor expressed. "Wish us luck."  
  
"You got it," Brennan replied firmly. "Go get 'em."  
  
"Come back in one piece," Emma reminded him.  
  
"Watch your back," Adam added, shaking his hand. "And good luck to all of you. Don't worry, we'll take care of things here."  
  
"Right," the medievalist agreed and took one last look at his friends. Then, he dove through the portal just as his daughter sealed it.  
  
After the mists had dissipated, Adam turned to the others. "Okay, let's get back to Sanctuary."  
  
Jesse sat down next to the controls and plotted their course, sending them on their way back home. While they all wished they could do more than just guard duty, their situation with Mason Eckhart and the GSA kept them at that level.  
  
To be continued 


	2. The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled ...

The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled (Part 2)  
David J. Duncan  
July 2002 

Chapter 11   
  
[El Gato Negro, Tucson]  
  
LaCroix entered the bar and moved smoothly through the gathered throng on the floor. During his radio show, Janette had paged him with some situation. As he had told her and his children not to do so unless it was a matter of life and death, he wanted to know what was so dire.  
  
Sitting at the bar, he watched Janette approach. "Janette, what is it?"  
  
"There was a nasty bit of business on the west side tonight," she informed him in a low voice.  
  
"Really?" he asked incredulously. Granted, he had felt some vibrations from Nick, but... "I did hear something over the police band about monsters and such rubbish."  
  
"Nicolas saw them," she stated frankly.  
  
"Really?" he chuckled. "It must be all of that swill he's been taking. He's getting lightheaded." Feeling a familiar vibration in back of him, he swiveled around on his stool to see his "son" descending the stairs. "Nicholas!" he chuckled. "Back from your hunt. I trust it was fruitful?"  
  
"More than I would like," the detective replied curtly, sipping from the cow's blood placed in front of him.  
  
"Yes..." the Roman supposed. "Janette said something about seeing monsters and some such nonsense."  
  
"I did more than see them," Nick countered albeit reluctantly. "I killed about twenty of them."  
  
That statement straightened LaCroix's back, raising his eyebrow with interest. "Really? Well done then, Nicholas. Well done. I trust that you aren't feeling too guilty about it?"  
  
"You know I hate killing," the other sighed.  
  
"Ah, yes. It's a pity really, Nicholas. You should get over it one of these centuries," the General chided, taking another sip from his glass.  
  
"Actually, you may get a chance to do some of it yourself," Nick stated. "Dave has a proposition for you."  
  
Those words nearly made him choke on his drink. "Dubois has a proposition for me? This ought to be interesting. Where is the mortal so I can laugh in his face before I tear him limb from limb?"  
  
Nick motioned to the top of the stairs where Dave stood along with Xena, Gabrielle, and Livia.   
  
"Well, well...my sister comes for a visit at last," the General cracked, taking another glass. Cutting quickly through the crowd, he approached the group. "Livia, it's delightful to see you again, my dear."  
  
"Lucius," she replied flatly, a frown across her face. "We need to talk. Isn't that right, Mother?"  
  
"Oh goodie," Xena blurted out flippantly, rolling her eyes. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"  
  
"Now whatever could you want from me?" the DJ asked. "Nothing is free after all."  
  
"How about the defense of your Community, Loudmouth?" Dave hissed darkly.  
  
"What?" LaCroix pushed. Turning to Nick, he pressed, "Another of your imagined attacks, I suppose?"  
  
Leaning against the wall, Livia gritted her teeth at her stepbrother's cockiness. "He's as infuriating as ever," she told herself.   
  
"Yeah?" Xena growled, grasping a dagger in her hand and holding it in front of the Elder's face. "How about you imagine this?"  
  
"As irritating as you are, LaCroix," Dave gibed, placing a hand between the warrior and the Elder, "You needed some help to get me to my current point. Trust me, I've been through the Pit...twice and survived. After that, nothing scares me." Leaning across the table, he locked eyes with the vampire. "An' I mean NOTHING!" Calming himself, he continued, "Look, as much as it turns my stomach to do so, we need generals. Despite your less than stellar methods, you were one of the greatest generals in Imperial history."  
  
"We need you as a leader, Lucius," Xena continued reluctantly.  
  
"Fight fire with fire," Gabrielle chimed in sarcastically.  
  
LaCroix considered their request carefully. True, he had his life back here. However, he didn't like the fact that a major threat to his community had occurred while he was unaware of its approach. Such a matter needed to be resolved in quick order. "Will you be fighting, Nicholas? And you, Livia?"  
  
"Is there a choice?" the Brabantine asked, tiring quickly of the riddles.  
  
"I'll be there," his sister agreed.  
  
"Very well then," the Elder concurred. "Janette will watch things here. I trust you have set up other safeguards, Dubois?"  
  
"You know me," the professor chuckled. "Always prepared. Yes, there is backup ready."  
  
"Good. I must say that I do admire your efficiency," the General complemented in spite of himself. "Where is this war to take place?"  
  
"In the realms of myth and legend," Dave baited. "Someplace guaranteed to make even you cringe."  
  
"Nothing could do that," he countered, shooting the other a glare.  
  
"Except maybe my chakram," Xena added knowingly, a cold smile spreading across her features.  
  
"Don't worry, Dubois. I'll hold up my end. When do we leave?"  
  
"In about two hours," Dave shot back, standing. "See you at the fountain on campus." With that, the mortals left the premises.  
  
After seeing them depart, LaCroix turned to the younger immortal and asked, "What have you gotten us into this time, I wonder?"  
  
"It's a war, LaCroix...just the way you've always liked it," Nick mentioned almost flippantly, returning to the bar to partake of another cow-wine before they had to go.  
  
****  
  
Two hours later, Dave inspected his gear carefully in his office. A quick stop at the apartment had allowed him to refit his quiver. His bottle of St. John's Wart sat in his belt pouch. Beyond that, there was little else to be done. Taking another look around at his books and stuff, he locked the door, not knowing if he would return. He descended the stone stairs to find his friends standing in the midst of the charred grass. Angie and Francesca stood quietly off to the side. "No doubt, they were sharing thoughts with Xena and Gabrielle," he thought.  
  
Cybelle approached him. "I've brought some other allies." Motioning over her shoulder, she pointed out Garth Singleton and Karen Montoya.  
  
"Thanks, Sis," he expressed.  
  
"Not a problem," she told him. "I'll see you in the Citadel later. Grimwilkin will get you all there. Take care. Things are deteriorating fast."  
  
He shrugged. When hadn't things been collapsing all around him? "Right. Well, see ya."  
  
Opening the mists, she smiled whimsically before vanishing from view.  
  
Turning, the professor went to greet the two newcomers. "Garth! Karen! Good to see you. What's going on?"  
  
"You tell us, Chief," Garth said wryly. "Judging from the burn marks around us, I'd say you had quite the party here."  
  
"Remember, Dave," Karen sighed. "We do need a school to come back to for reunions."  
  
"Everyone's a critic," Dave replied. "Seriously though, its good to see you both."  
  
"When Grimwilkin says that Harokin needs our help, Dave, I'm going to come running," the lanky man indicated.  
  
"And I still owe him for the two rescues," the nurse concurred. "Maybe now I can help defend a bit."  
  
Dave grinned warmly and embraced his two oldest friends. This adventure was going to be Hell, but having them there helped him to keep a sense of optimism. "Well, we'll be leaving soon. Is everyone here?"  
  
"Just about," Angie advised, walking over and giving him a hug. "We're waiting on Nick and LaCroix."  
  
At that moment, Steve's car pulled up beside the group. From it, the agent, Natalie, Alyce, Schanke, and Nick climbed out. The latter was dressed in chain mail under a plain white surcoat. A sword clanked against his side.  
  
"Nice mail, Nick," Dave admired. "From the Crusades?"  
  
"It is," the Brabantine concurred. "It's been a while since I've worn it though."  
  
"And everything's on straight," Alyce chuckled, trying to mask her uncertainty with humor.  
  
"Everything seems in order," Livia assured him after a quick visual inspection.  
  
"Thanks," Nick expressed.  
  
The conqueror smiled and walked off to consider her strategies.  
  
"I think I liked the old Eve better," Natalie remarked, watching the Roman stalk off.  
  
"She's not Eve," Angie pointed out. "Think of Livia as her form of the Child."  
  
The coroner winced. That wasn't exactly a comforting thought. "Anyhow, I...I need to get back to the Precinct."   
  
Nick approached her and asked, "Nat?"  
  
"Nick?" she replied, turning to face her friend. Despite her blossoming relationship with Steve, she still had feelings for the detective. "You look the part. Ever the crusading knight, huh?"  
  
"One might say that," he nodded, a smile coming to his face.  
  
"Well, you take care of yourself and the others, okay?" she requested, embracing him tightly. Tears welled in her eyes.  
  
"I'll be back," he promised. "As will we all."  
  
"Always optimistic, aren't you?" Livia wondered.  
  
"You might try it, Livia. Faith helps in a fight."  
  
The warrioress drew her sword. "This, Nicholas, is what gets you through a fight...not some silly notion of faith."  
  
"You might ask your other half about that," the detective debated.   
  
"You're starting to sound like one of those Eli-lovers," Livia retorted. "No wonder Lucius feels the way he does about you."  
  
"He is a challenge, my dear Sister," LaCroix agreed, descending to the ground. For his part, the Elder had donned his old Roman military attire and weaponry. "But he does have potential."  
  
"Not your type of potential," Dave disagreed, glaring daggers at him.   
  
"I'm here at your request, Dubois," the General hissed. "Don't insult me!"  
  
"Who's insulting you?" he inquired, shrugging. "I was stating a simple fact." The professor approached LaCroix and stared him in the eye. "Besides, this is all about duty and responsibility, LaCroix. Being a leader doesn't just mean you get to enjoy the benefits and play the role whenever it's convenient. You have to look after those under your stewardship...and their best interests. I shouldn't have had to request your assistance. If you were doing your damn job, you would have been fighting with us earlier tonight." With that, Dave stalked off.  
  
For a long minute, LaCroix stared across the way at the brash mortal, thinking of things to do to him. Finally, he let the matter drop.  
  
Garth approached his friend asking, "So, that's LaCroix?"  
  
"Yup," the medievalist replied curtly. "The same."  
  
The other man took a deep breath, recalling the prophecies uttered by the Faerie Empress on their last adventure. "And what about that Dijon creep. When do you face him?"  
  
"Past tense, Garth."  
  
"And what happened?" the classmate asked.  
  
Karen interjected, "They fought and Dave finally pinned him to the ground before letting the sun finish the job."  
  
"Oh," Garth responded, failing to find the words. He remembered everyone's concern on the last trip to Nurrengaard. If it were possible, he considered that his friend might actually be worse now...a walking time bomb.  
  
"Cheer up," Karen pointed out. "He isn't that bad--at least not all of the time."  
  
"But he does have his bad moments, right?" Garth asked.  
  
Ferali muttered, "You should've been with us the last time in the Pit."  
  
"Now, Ferali," she lectured. "Remember, he had his job to do as well."  
  
"I know," the gnome replied and walked off shaking his head.  
  
Above the clatter, Grimwilkin cleared his throat and stated, "It's time! If we are ready?"  
  
Everyone gathered around him. Once this had been done, the wizard raised his hands, teleporting them away from the scene.  
  
In their wake, Natalie, Schanke, Steve, and Alyce were left wondering if they would return. Somehow they got the feeling that even if everything turned out all right, things would never be the same again.  
  
  
Chapter 12 [Citadel of the Four Winds, Nurrengaard]  
  
High above the walled city, Meroli stood on the terrace overhang of the citadel, surveying the battle scene just beyond the walls. A scan of the battlements told him the obvious. The large troll army had advanced on the city, surrounding it on all sides, and choking off all support for the outside. Fortunately, he had thought ahead and brought the supplies inside the walls upon the scouts' warning thereby insuring that there was a week's supply of rations left.  
  
"How does it look?" Harokin asked with concern.  
  
"The trolls are bringing something big," the area leader noted, pointing to the large object coming into view over the horizon. "It looks like Grimcrusher. If they're bringing it up at night, that damned wizard must be desperate."  
  
The military leader from the lands beyond nodded nervously in spite of himself. Grimcrusher had bashed in more than its share of walls and portals in its long career. Now, he wondered how long they could hold the walls against the threat. "I'll have them reinforce the gate. Where is Grimwilkin? I thought he'd be back by now!"  
  
"Patience!" Meroli advised. "He and Ferali will return soon enough. Meantime, keep your hopes up, my friend. Our outer world allies will remember their duty."  
  
"I know," the other man agreed. "We could use their help is all." With that, he marched off to be with his troops.  
  
*****  
  
Outside the gates, Melitor glanced about at his troll army. Everyone was in place and now that the Master's ultimate weapon was in position, it was time. "Move in!"  
  
With that, the operators released the device's safety, allowing the huge battering ram to begin beating on the gate.  
  
*****  
  
Just out of sight of the army, the reinforcements materialized. As with their last trip, the journey had only taken a few seconds.  
  
"Where are we?" Nick wondered.  
  
"Outside of Nurrengaard," Grimwilkin informed him. Glancing about at the scorched and trampled landscape, he continued, "Normally, this field is lush and green. I think you can gather the reason why." Pointing ahead to the host in front of them, he directed, "There, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the enemy."   
  
Xena analyzed the situation. "They look like the Horde," she remarked, drawing her sword.  
  
"They're just as numerous," Gabrielle concurred, readying her staff.  
  
"And just as nasty," Dave noted, wrapping a cloth around a shaft tip, and lighting it. Stringing the bow, he lit the end and fired it into the air.   
  
In the distance, the twin tapers on the keep were lit in response.  
  
"They know we're here," Garth surmised.   
  
"Before we go into battle, Mr. Singleton, you might be needing this," the wizard stated, holding up the cloak of invisibility.  
  
"Thanks," Garth expressed, putting the cloak on.  
  
"Karen, stay back until we give the go ahead," Dave directed, reloading his bow. In spite of his efforts to keep control, the sight of Lousain's trolls was eating at him, causing the Child to spasm. "Ready?"   
  
"This is suicide," LaCroix pointed out truculently.  
  
"Aren't you the pessimist?" Xena groused with a slight air of sarcasm. "It's not like we have a choice!"  
  
"What's the matter, Lucius?" Livia baited. "Have you lost your nerve? I recall you being all too eager to charge the barbarians on several occasions even in the face of overwhelming odds."  
  
LaCroix glared at his sister. "I have done nothing of the kind!"  
  
"Remember, General, not everything is measured in terms of numbers," Grimwilkin reminded him. Seeing the trolls starting to stir, he added, "They heard you. Now, we have little choice."  
  
Dave allowed himself a grim smile. For all of this infernal pain coursing through him right now, he was going to pay the scum in front of him back in kind. Picking out an explosive-tipped projectile, he asked, "Now?"  
  
The wizard shot a spark from his finger, lighting up the weapon. "Indeed, David."  
  
"As you wish," the professor quipped, firing straight ahead into the horde. The arrow exploded, setting some twenty of the closely packed soldiers on fire.   
  
The demons ran screaming, looking for anything to cool them off. However, as they ran by their comrades, the flammable chemical set them aflame as well, sending them scurrying and burning as well.  
  
Looking about, the creatures in that part of the formation spied them. "Intruders!"  
  
"Damn!" Dave hissed "And I was having such fun too!" Shooting a shaft from the bow, he buried it deep into the herald's chest. "Loudmouth!" he baited, charging forward.  
  
"Why is he always like this?" Garth groused.  
  
"Because it's the way it has to be!" Ferali exclaimed, waving his axe about.  
  
"I guess," Garth concurred, allowing himself to vanish from view. "See you on the other side."  
  
"Count on it!" the gnome replied, charging forth. Within seconds, he had begun to mow down trolls like so much wheat.  
  
About fifty feet away, Dave continued to hack his way through the troops. After exhausting most of his shafts on the enemy around him, he combined sword thrusts and energy blasts to take down the trolls surrounding his position. "This is the way I remembered it!" he exclaimed, frying another adversary in his path.  
  
Xena and Gabrielle fought back to back, carving a path through their enemies as well. The Warrior Princess flung her chakram repeatedly, taking out multiple trolls with each toss and slashing still more with her sword. The bard queen knocked and stabbed at the enemy with her javelin.  
  
Livia slashed at her own adversaries, watching their blackish blood soil the battlements after each stroke. Recalling the past glories she had achieved for Rome, she had plenty of motivation to advance deeper into the enemy's flank.  
  
Nick popped in and out, turning the trolls this way and that. Dropping from behind in the darkness, he would stab deeply with his blade before going onto the next victim. However, with each kill, his heart grew a little heavier. While the Vampire savored this activity, he detested it. He knew that it was necessary to defend his home. He just hated having to resort to it.  
  
About 45 minutes into this melee, he heard LaCroix brag, "Ah! This makes me feel alive!"  
  
"It would," Nick groused, thrusting his sword into another troll.  
  
"Come...come, Nicholas," the Elder continued. "This is what we are made for! To hunt! To kill! Enjoy the aroma of the carnage about you!"  
  
"You're sick, LaCroix," the younger vampire stated emphatically, decapitating another enemy.  
  
The Roman sighed. While he wanted to continue this debate in order to show the boy just how hypocritical he was being, the pace of the battle wouldn't allow it. "Keep going, Nicholas. We'll talk later." With that, he vanished from view.  
  
Nick shook his head and went back to the task at hand.  
  
****  
  
About 15 minutes earlier, Dave had made a dent in the trolls' position, carving out a beachhead for himself with arrow, sword, and energy burst. Despite these efforts, however, he felt as if he were fighting uphill with his feet mired in mud. Off in the distance, he heard the echoing impacts of Grimcrusher's hammer against the city's gates and knew it was only a matter of time.  
  
"I can take 2000 of these SOBs and it won't make a bit of difference if they breach the defenses," he told himself, taking down another foe.   
  
"Maybe we can stop them," Cybelle's voice advised from the mists forming to his right. "Come on!"  
  
Instinctively, he leapt through the portal. Within it, he asked, "So what did you have in mind?"  
  
"We need to take out the battering ram, right? How about a lift?" she offered.  
  
"You're on," he concurred, prepping his last explosive shaft. From the pitch he could see on its wooden joints, a well-placed shot would ignite that thing.   
  
The priestess nodded grimly and opened another entryway. Through it, the battering ram loomed large.  
  
"Thanks, Sis," he expressed, lighting his weapon before making his shot.   
  
The projectile found its mark, burying itself deep in the tarred seam holding the axis onto the rest of the device. When it exploded, the machine crashed to the ground. Although badly damaged, the hammer kept doing its work.  
  
"Sonnuva..." he snarled. "Die, will you?" Firing two pulses, he finished the job, reducing the weapon to a pile of kindling. "Finally!" Turning to his sister, he stated, "Go tell Harokin and Meroli we could use some help out here. Thanks again."  
  
"My pleasure," she replied. "Go, and try not to get your fool head sliced off in the meantime, okay?"  
  
He nodded and jumped out of the mists as she closed the door behind him.  
  
Meantime, the surrounding trolls weren't too happy at these developments. Seeing Dave appear suddenly from nowhere, sword drawn and with a look crossed somewhere between anger and glee, they howled and charged him.  
  
He shook his head and went to work, parrying every stroke and managing to stab a few enemies. Finally, realizing that this was getting tedious, he began blasting away with energy pulses, allowing their connection with Lousain to fuel the Child's wrath and therefore his own strength.  
  
****  
  
Across the field, Loritor saw the ram's destruction with concern. What would his master do to him because of this failure? Should he risk a retreat or stay and allow his troops to be cut to ribbons?   
  
Upon hearing the Horn of Nurrengaard and knowing that reinforcements would soon be coming out of the beleaguered city to face them, the troll leader made his decision. Looking to the sky, he called, "Master!"  
  
For a minute, the sky turned pitch black with purple blotches along the underside of some clouds. Red lightning impacted with the Earth. At that point, the invading army vanished. Lousain had pulled his army back to the Dark Lands away from the scene of their latest failure.  
  
****  
  
"What the?" Nick wondered, looking about for the recently departed enemy.  
  
"It seems that they have vanished. Curious," LaCroix noted, glancing about the landscape and at the rapidly clearing sky.  
  
"They do that a lot," Garth commented, reappearing from thin air.  
  
"The Enemy has withdrawn his forces for now," Grimwilkin added.  
  
Harokin rode up to the group. "It is good to see you, my friends. Come, Meroli awaits us inside of the city walls." With that, he turned and led his troops back toward the citadel.  
  
At that moment, Cybelle reentered the scene, urging, "You heard the man. Let's go."  
  
Everyone quickly entered the portal. Once they had done so, the fog burned off, leaving no trace of the combatants on the battlefield for anyone to find.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
[Heaven]  
  
Standing on a cloud far over the battle scene, Michael and Raphael observed all of the proceedings. While they were glad that Dave and the others had overcome the odds put in front of them thus far, they knew that the worse was yet to come.  
  
"They are stronger than I would have imagined," the blond archangel assessed.  
  
"That they are," his associate agreed. "Can we not help them, Michael?"  
  
"No," the other disagreed grimly, a touch of stubborn pride creeping through his demeanor. "This is their war. I warned Dubois when he defied me. Now, let them all suffer the consequences."  
  
Raphael shook his head in wonder. While Michael was usually righteous in his attitude, pride and even vindictiveness weren't in his nature. Now, he understood Lorenzo's view of Michael's plan and why the relatively new angel had stayed away from them.   
  
"Is something bothering you?" Michael wondered. "Surely, you're not feeling pity for them?"  
  
"They fight bravely and for the Greater Good. What does it matter how they do it as long as they stay within the Lord's covenant?"  
  
Michael's face flushed scarlet with anger. "Because...there is a set way to these things! I will not be defied by a mortal!" Seeing the other's continued disagreement, he decided to change the subject. "If you would summon our next ally, I would appreciate it."  
  
"Right," he agreed and went off to do just that. About fifteen minutes later, he returned accompanying a slender feminine angel with long flowing hair. "Here she is."  
  
"Michael, you wanted to see me?" she wondered.  
  
"Yes, I did. Fleur, you are Nicolas' brother, are you not?"  
  
"I am," she replied courteously. "He is in grave danger. I have felt it."  
  
"And you may go to him, my Dear," Michael assured her. "And if you would, please stop by and see the one they call LaCroix as well."  
  
She flashed a radiant smile. Although she had passed on 750 years earlier, the angel still loved the General. "I will," she promised. "May I go with your leave?"  
  
"You may," Michael concurred.  
  
In a flash of light, she disappeared, leaving the two archangels to observe what would happen next.  
  
****  
  
[Amazon Camp]  
  
Eve sat on the grass in quiet contemplation. For the past two hours, she had put herself in a meditative trance to mitigate her concern for her mother and Gabrielle. Unfortunately, it wasn't working. All around, her sister Amazons limped about their duties reinforcing shelters and keeping watch for further trouble. The others still lay back in Althanor recovering from the wounds sustained in Velasca's attack. Furthermore, she felt vibrations within her head...as if Livia were trying to tell her something.  
  
"Eli, help us," she requested. "Please send me a sign."  
  
As if on cue, Nai-Jin came running up the path toward her. "Princess! There's been a sign!"  
  
"A sign?" the regent asked with concern not knowing if it was good or bad news. "Take a minute to catch your breath and then, I'll hear what you have to say."  
  
The mystic nodded silently as she leaned against a nearby tree as her pulse rate relaxed and her breathing became regular. "Thank you. Princess, there's been a battle."  
  
"Already?" Eve inquired, although she had gathered as much from Livia's message. "Mother and the Queen have only left a few hours ago!"  
  
"It was over before they arrived," Nai-Jin reported. "Despite that, they somehow fought there and were here at the same time. You were there...but it wasn't you. Rather, it was the Other."  
  
The former Messenger nodded silently. While the mystic didn't understand, she did. Obviously, Angie and Francesca had used their shared link, allowing the warriors to participate in the fighting. The last part confirmed the reason for her headache. Livia had fought at their side. "Any news?"  
  
"Our side has won the initial battles, Milady," Nai-Jin stated. "The threat to the fortified city and the Realm within the Mists has been averted at least for now."  
  
"That's good news indeed," Eve agreed. Knowing her mother, Xena would try to take the battle to the Enemy. "I hope you're careful, Mother," she thought to herself.  
  
"That's the thing with battles, Eve. One never knows what's going to happen next," a familiar voice grimly informed her.  
  
Standing, she saw Ares approaching them. "What do you want?" she inquired icily.  
  
The ebon-haired god frowned. "What is it with all of you? All I want to do is help," he exclaimed in exasperation.  
  
"There is the small matter of your track record," the regent informed him. Looking at Nai-Jin, she advised, "Thank you for your counsel, Nai-Jin. Can you let me know if there's anything else that you see?"  
  
"I shall, Princess," the mystic concluded, departing from the scene.  
  
"That's some oracle you have there, Eve. I thought Elisians didn't trust them," Ares baited.  
  
She folded her arms across her chest and noted, "Nai-Jin's abilities have saved the Amazons in the past. Queen Gabrielle trusts her...and as her regent at least for now...I'm willing to go along with that. I trust that you're not behind the attacks, were you?"  
  
"No. As much as I wish I could take credit for those skirmishes, I can't. Thank Dahak and his wizard buddy for busting in on your day. The fighting was great! I gotta tell you. Your buddy, Dubois, is getting stronger. By the way, who are the new friends dressed in the leather with the weird powers? They were kicking ass too," he explained, throwing animated punches at the air between them.  
  
Eve nodded, guessing that he was referring to Mutant X. "They're friends," she informed him. "Allies in the war against bigotry and hatred."  
  
"Whatever," he replied, already tired of Eve's peaceful demeanor. "I'm on my way to the Inner Realms. Your buddies are gonna need my help."  
  
"Stay away from them, Ares!" Eve protested, glaring at him harshly.  
  
"Like you're going to stop me?" he asked sarcastically. "Yeah right." With that, he vanished from sight.  
  
For a long while after that, Eve walked about the camp, feeling as if things were about to go from bad to worse.  
  
  
*****  
  
[Dahak's realm]  
  
Sitting on his throne, the demon lord brooded over the failure of his ally's armies before the gates of Nurrengaard. If only they had stepped up the attack sooner, they would now have the city and the key to Althanor and the Amazon lands beyond. Worse still, the demon patrols had found no trace of Divia or Hope. Somehow, the damned priestess, Cybelle, had hidden them well from him.  
  
To his right, Lousain shook his head in consternation. "What is it about those interlopers?? Why do we continue to frustrate me? WHY??"  
  
"Because you continue to fight them on their terms, my friend," Dahak noted. "Make them fight on our terms."  
  
"The next battle will take place in the Dark Lands. That much I can promise you," the wizard vowed. "I shall prepare further for our advances." With that, he vanished from view.  
  
The demon scanned the area around him with concern. The final battle had to be a good one. And he was determined that it would be.  
  
  
Chapter 14 [Grand Hall, Citadel of the Four Winds, Nurrengaard]  
  
For an hour after his guests' arrival, Meroli ordered silence throughout the citadel. While he didn't want important matters discussed outside of the Grand Hall, his allies needed some measure of peace and quiet to collect their thoughts following the fighting outside. His only request was that they meet with him in short order.   
  
Finally, the delegates entered the area and sat at the table. Familiar to him were Grimwilkin, Harokin and the Lord of the Plateau, Eadmer and his queen, Elsin. At the far end of the fine oak table, Dave awaited the beginning of deliberations. On his right sat Ferali as well as the two vampires. On the professor's left, the two warrioresses and Gabrielle, surveyed the room. Next to them sat the two priestesses of Althanor garbed in their long green robes. Truly, this was a unilateral gathering in opposition to the Enemy.  
  
"I am glad you are all here to stand with us today," the Citadel's lord started. "On behalf of my troops and the people of Nurrengaard, I thank you all for coming to discuss our problem."  
  
"And what exactly is this....problem?" LaCroix asked incredulously. "There was one army. We disposed of it."  
  
"Trust me, LaCroix, there is a bigger issue here," Nick interjected.  
  
"That, Nicholas, is an understatement," Xena declared. "You all know of Lousain, the wizard. Gabrielle and I have faced his ally, Dahak, the demon lord."  
  
"We have heard of Dahak here in whispers and rumors, Xena," Grimwilkin replied. "There are legends of a half-human, half-demon child as well."  
  
"That is my daughter, Hope," Gabrielle admitted, suddenly feeling crestfallen.  
  
Harokin shot the leader a sudden look. "This woman has consorted with darkness and she's sitting here? I say she should be removed!" He stood up to challenge her.  
  
"Why you..." Xena hissed, standing up and drawing her sword.   
  
"Xena...Milord, stop this," Dave interjected.  
  
"Not until he takes back what he implied," the warrioress stated firmly.  
  
"Why should I?" the other man challenged. "David, stay out of this."  
  
"I cannot," Dave disagreed. "Milord, she was attacked and violated. Hope was born two days later. Since that happened, she has fought with Xena against the dark lord. I'll attest to her character if you wish. Please don't ask me to break my troth to you through an attack on these ladies."  
  
"You would do that?" Garth wondered.   
  
"I owe Xena a great deal as well, Garth," the professor continued. Seeing a smile from the ex-Roman general, he inquired, "Yes?"  
  
"As if you would know anything about honor," LaCroix taunted.  
  
"A Roman speaking of honor?" Xena chuckled. "Yeah right."  
  
Tiring of this stream of insults, Meroli slammed his fist on the table, affirming, "Peace! As the lord of this citadel, I won't have us tearing each other to shreds. Listen to David, everyone!"  
  
"I concur," the wizard added. "We have a powerful enough enemy to face without internal conflict."  
  
Meroli nodded in appreciation of his ally's support. "Since you have faced Dahak before, what do you both think, Xena and Gabrielle?"  
  
"He's sly and sneaky," the Warrior Princess began. "He's also very powerful."  
  
"The longer it takes us to agree, the more his power grows," the Amazon queen concurred.   
  
"And with the aid of Lousain's trolls, he will be nearly invincible," Cybelle added.  
  
Dave trembled noticeably, feeling the effect of the darkness surging within him. "We need to take him out ASAP."  
  
The reaction wasn't lost on his cohorts around the table. With only two or three exceptions, they knew of the blade fragment in his shoulder.  
  
"How bad is it?" the High Priestess wondered.  
  
"It's burning," he responded tersely, grabbing at the shoulder.  
  
Removing some herbs from her pouch, the priestess treated the injury. "That should take care of it," she noted.  
  
"Thanks," he expressed. Turning back to the discussion at hand, he asked, "Well?"  
  
"After coming up with a good plan, I agree," Xena added.  
  
"I'm with Xena," Gabrielle chimed in. "As are the Amazons."  
  
"As is Althanor," Cybelle stated supportively.  
  
"What do you think, Eadmer?" Meroli wondered.  
  
The monarch eyed the others carefully. While he knew that Dave liked a good fight, he also knew that his friend was a careful planner in these matters. Looking at his queen and receiving a nod from her, he continued, "We agree with Xena as well."  
  
"Well, Harokin, it seems we have our consensus," the citadel's leader declared.  
  
"So it would seem," Harokin agreed, albeit reluctantly. After the last two expeditions into the Dark Lands, he had no wish for a third one.  
  
"We move out at sunrise tomorrow," Meroli noted. Glancing at the two vampires, he told them. "Do not fear, my friends. Accommodations will be made for your...needs as well."  
  
"Thank you," Nick said appreciatively.  
  
"You have my thanks as well," LaCroix added.  
  
The leader rose from his chair and told them, "This meeting is adjourned. Now, please feel free to get some rest. Food will be delivered to your rooms in an hour. Thank you, my friends, for your assistance." With that, he left the room followed by the rest of the group.  
  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Nick walked up the stone stairs to his quarters following the meeting. Despite the length of it, the group had managed to come up with some sort of consensus. Moving out quickly against the enemy would certainly be better than to sit around and wait for another surge from the troll forces. Not like the last time....  
  
****  
  
[Acre, 1291]  
  
Nick glanced about frantically at the chaos ensuing around him. The Mamluks had pressed against the walls for the last two days and nights. Their catapults battered the Christian defenses even as the besieged struggled to repair and shore up their ramparts. Only an hour before, he had spoken with the citadel's commander, Henri de Bremont, before the latter rushed toward the walls.  
  
Then, he heard a loud explosion and a crash coming from the western wall. It seemed his worst fear was coming true. The Saracens had breached the walls, and even now, were spilling into Acre. Despite the knights' best efforts at hand to hand combat, the Crusaders lost increasing amounts of ground and manpower to the irresistible tide sweeping through the breach. Some soldiers, seeing that the cause was lost, had already slipped away.  
  
"NO!" he protested to the sky, thinking of all he had sacrificed in the Crusades. After losing Gwenyth in Wales, he had suffered through the killing on the battlefield, the torture and imprisonment in the Saracen prison, the debt of his ransom to his family, and finally, the loss of his humanity. Despite the power which the last misfortune had granted him, he still ached from all he had lost.   
  
In frustration, Nick flew at the invaders, looking to wreck havoc. Slashing with his sword and snapping necks, he tried to hold back the inevitable. For hours, he tore a swath through the Mamluks' lines, taking more than his pound of flesh in retribution. However, it was in vain, for about three hours into his maniacal spree, he noticed the sky turning pale to the east.   
  
The sun was rising.  
  
Nick assessed all of his options. If he stayed, he might do more damage, but he would certainly incinerate in the daylight. If he left, he might have another opportunity to fight this foe. There was no choice. Tearing down a section of housing adjacent to him, he created a pile of debris which covered his escape. Quicker than the eye could follow, he streaked away, leaving the scene behind.  
  
****  
  
[Modern Day]  
  
The former Crusader scratched his head as he resumed his progress. At the top of the stairs, he opened the door to his room and walked inside absently. On the table next to the straw filled mattress, he found a pitcher half-filled with cow's blood and a small cup. "Everyone else gets the meat, I'll take this," he mused, pouring a cup and guzzling down the draught. Setting the cup down, he eased out of his armor and placed his sword beside the suit. "That's better."  
  
"I should say it would be, Nicholas," LaCroix's voice replied casually from the hallway. Easing the door open, the Elder allowed himself an entryway into the room. He too had a cup in his hand although, judging from the look on the latter's face, he was less than pleased with the fare. "I can't see why you would drink this swill."  
  
"Certainly Meroli won't kill any of his servants or townspeople just to suit us, LaCroix," Nick said, tired of his former master's constant griping about the hospitality of others. "It won't kill you."  
  
"Ah yes. I can certainly see that you are so very much alive...and living in the past," the Roman countered. "Yes, Nicholas, I have felt your dismay over the events on the battlefield as well as your wish to reenact the Crusades so that this time, you will have the success you sought before." Seeing the other's dismay, he chuckled. "You are so predictable. When will you learn that such things aren't important to us? To our kind? Out on the battlefield, I saw you sweeping across the scene like a primordial force, taking out those who would resist us. Even in your restrained state, it was glorious!"  
  
"It made me sick. The killing never stops," the younger vampire countered.  
  
"Of course not! It's not supposed to! Why do you think that we do what we do? We are killers, Nicholas! The sooner you understand that, the better you'll be!" LaCroix smashed the clay mug to the floor. "We are not bound by their rules! You are not one of them! Wake up to what you are!"  
  
"Maybe I'm not one of them...yet, but I'm not like you either," Nick disagreed. "Hopefully one day, I will find my way out of this limbo into which you've placed me."  
  
"I...have placed you there?" LaCroix inquired in disbelief. Now the younger's fractured reasoning was reaching an all time level of ludicrousness. "No, Nicholas, you've placed yourself there. Quit blaming others for what you are. The sooner you realize that there is no going back, the better off you'll be."  
  
"No, Lucien, you are wrong," a voice countered from the corner.  
  
Turning, the two immortals saw a bright light appearing in the corner. From it, a slender young woman garbed in white stepped into the room.  
  
"Fleur?" the two chorused together once they had regained their composure.  
  
"Oui," she replied, a smile on her face. "I have returned to see you both before you rush out onto the battlefield." Stepping forward, her hand brushed her brother's cheek. Seeing his eyes water bloody tears, she told him, "Your faith will be rewarded, Nicolas. One day, it will happen."  
  
"Nonsense," LaCroix spat, torn between the challenge of her words and the feelings of love he felt.  
  
"Your doubt tears at you, Lucien," the angel pointed out, kissing him on the cheek. "While my brother has learned much from you in terms of strength, you need to learn compassion from him as well." Stepping back from them, she continued, "I will be watching over both always." With that, she disappeared from the setting as abruptly as she appeared.  
  
For a moment, the two vampires exchanged looks, verifying that they had seen the angel.   
  
After that, LaCroix left the room quickly, leaving Nick to his own devices once again.  
  
****  
  
For the next two hours, the Elder stood on the walkway between the stone towers overlooking the battlements. As with Nicholas, he too had fought in large scale campaigns both as a mortal and immortal...alone and with his sister at his side. What would she say to this emotional conflict brewing inside of him? Bad enough that his son's putrid weakness was evident, but now, the appearance of his love threatened everything as well.  
  
Finally, a voice interrupted his reverie. "Dinar for your thoughts, Lucius?"  
  
Looking up, he saw Livia approaching him, the focus on the upcoming battle already clearly evident in her eyes. He had to admit that the sight of her confident demeanor gladdened him. At least, she wasn't about to let her weak messianic side overwhelm her. "Nicholas could learn from you, Livia."  
  
She snorted derisively. "I don't understand why you put up with him. Just kill him and be done with it."  
  
"It's not that easy!" her brother ranted angrily, allowing his eyes to change color.   
  
"Nothing with you ever is," she noted. "Lucius, as much as you tear at Nicholas for his weakness, you too are weak as well."  
  
"I AM NOT WEAK!" he bellowed.  
  
She rolled her eyes at him. Sometimes, he could be an imperial pain in the ass. "Right. Look, Lucius, I know you. You may not care about a great many things, but when you do, you protect them savagely. I remember your plans and stratagems. Then, there is the matter of Divia. Finally, there are Nicholas and whatever that thing was in your room tonight." Seeing his surprise, she stated, "You shouldn't leave the door open so that anyone can eavesdrop. We can't afford distractions on the battlefield. Do you want to talk about it or not?"  
  
"Not yet," LaCroix declined. "But ago gratias tibi nonetheless."  
  
She nodded silently. As much as he infuriated her, Lucius was still her stepbrother. She hated to see him torn like this. "I hope you can resolve these things. Remember, if you need to talk, I'm here," she told him before leaving him to his own devices.  
  
****  
  
Meantime, Dave and Angie strolled through the moonlit gardens in an effort to work off their own nervous energy before the quest began in earnest. All around them, the flower blooms filled the air with pleasant yet pungent scents and the foliage spread its best out before them even in the taper light.   
  
"Remember the last time we were here?" he asked her.  
  
"I do," she replied warmly. "It was right after our wedding reception. We thought we had beaten back all of these demons, monsters, and boogey men, remember?"  
  
"There's always a challenge, Princess. That's what makes life interesting," he advised, kissing her cheek. "It's just like dealing with the Child. Everyday, we're understanding each other a bit more."  
  
"Well, that's an improvement, I guess," she supposed. "I really do admire that about you, Dave."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, your ability to never say die," she explained. "Here we are on the verge of rushing out into the darkness beyond, and you just keeping trudging ahead."  
  
"I suppose," he responded. Glancing about them, he continued, "Life's a struggle, Angie. We either keep going or we just wither away. We need to defend what's ours. Just like in Istanbul, right?"  
  
"Right," she concurred, managing a slight grin for his sake.   
  
"Now, that's what I want to see," he told her. "We get through this and we can resume our lives. I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to founding that academic community of tolerance. Let's look forward to that, okay?"  
  
"Okay," she agreed, kissing him passionately in the midst of the flowers and trees.  
  
****  
  
Up in their quarters, Xena and Gabrielle lay on their beds, staring at the ceiling. Each was still a bit disturbed over the near scene in the meeting hall. While he was certainly a great leader, Harokin needed to learn a bit about prejudging people. Just as the Amazons had learned in the recent situation with Velasca, these warriors would need all of the help they could get.  
  
The Warrior Princess also worried about Angie. Despite the separation that occurred when they shared the same space at the same point in time, their mental link continued. Through it, Angie's doubts burdened her consciousness. "Why can't she see that she's quite the fighter too?" she groused to herself.  
  
"I assume you're talking about Angela?" her soul mate wondered.  
  
"Yeah," Xena revealed. "She and David are talking right now. I just wish that Angela could realize how strong she really is."  
  
"She's finding herself, Xena," Gabrielle commented. "Just as we did...and as David's doing right now. Give her time. She'll find her way."  
  
"I know, Gabrielle," the counselor agreed. "But thanks for telling me."  
  
"My pleasure," the queen declared.  
  
Then, they both felt something not quite right around them.  
  
"Ares!" Xena challenged. "Show yourself!"  
  
In a flash, the war god appeared in front of them.  
  
"Nice view," he baited.  
  
"Enjoy the blankets...and whatever's goin' on in that twisted mind of yours 'cause that's all you're gonna get," Xena advised, getting up and showing that she was indeed in her leather halter. "Now, why are ya here?"  
  
"I'm goin' with ya tomorrow," he told them.  
  
"Yeah right," Gabrielle doubted. "Why would you care?"  
  
He scowled at them. Why did they always have to be so difficult? "Believe it or not, I do care about what happens out there. As I said before, I want Dahak put back in his hole. That's it."  
  
The two Amazons chuckled at him not believing the words for a minute.  
  
"Look, I know you've been bothering David and Angela for the last couple of weeks, Ares. You wanna find out what my link is to them, right? Eve and Angela told me. Take a piece of advice...leave them out of this! Besides, he has enough issues right now with Lousain and the Pit," Xena continued, getting more and more terse with each second.  
  
"Yeah, I can take a hint," he told them. "I'll see ya both in the Dark Lands. Meanwhile, there's someone who will be joining ya tomorrow." With that, he vanished into thin air.  
  
"What do you suppose he meant by that?" Gabrielle asked.  
  
"Who knows?" Xena sighed. "Anyhow, get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day as it is."  
  
As the taper burned out, the Amazon queen stared at the ceiling and worried in the darkness about the things to come.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
A few hours later, Dave arose from his bed, nervous about the events to come. Despite the fact that he had been down this road before, he knew that Lousain had something different up his sleeve.  
  
"That is one creep I'm not in a hurry to meet again," he told himself while making his way toward the stables. There, he found his favorite steed, Streaker. The stallion stood tall and proud with jet black hair and a long mane. "Hey, Boy, it's me. How have you been?"  
  
The horse whinnied and stomped its right front hoof. While he did indeed recognize Dave, he was sore at having been left behind.  
  
"Yeah, well...I couldn't take you with me the last time," the professor informed his friend while checking the feed and water troughs. "Maybe this time."  
  
At the last words, the horse's ears perked.  
  
"We'll see what Meroli says," Dave promised.  
  
"That's a tall order, my friend," Grimwilkin pointed out from the corner. Dave saw him sitting on a stool and smoking his pipe. "The lord of the citadel will not part easily with this horse. Still, you have served him for three campaigns. We shall have to see."  
  
"That's a pretty neat trick, Grimwilkin," the medievalist told him grimly.  
  
"What is? Oh, you mean the cloaking number? It is a lot more difficult to do with you than most, I assure you, David," the wizard commented. "Your powers are developing. I would commend you on your growing control over the darkness within you as well. You almost detected me upon entering here."  
  
"I've had help," the visitor revealed curtly, brushing Streaker's coat and mane.  
  
"Yes, you have," Grimwilkin agreed. "But you have also overcome much on your own. Remember the prophecy?"  
  
"Which one? The first? Dijon was staked, Grimwilkin. LaCroix is upstairs right now. His presence is driving me to distraction!" Dave ranted, throwing his hands in the air. "I don't suppose there's a cure for my condition, is there?"  
  
"Again, who knows? The Other has developed so much within you. Just as with your friend, Nicholas, so must you have faith as well."  
  
"Thanks," Dave expressed in a friendly tone. Then, he reached out with his senses and detected other presences in the area. "Garth? Karen? Come out."  
  
His longtime friend and companion stepped forward followed by the nurse. "Whew!" he exclaimed, scratching his head. "You creep me out when you do that!"  
  
"Do what? You mean knowing that you're there?" Dave wondered, continuing to tend to his mount. Suddenly, a piece of wood lifted off of the ground. "Or perhaps, this?" Then, he made himself levitate off of the ground. "It's just my abilities developing is all."  
  
"Man, that is just too weird," Garth complained, not sure what to make of it. "Karen, did you know?"  
  
She nodded. "I found out during our last trip here. He's not the only one." Focusing, she raised a stone jug in the air before setting it back down. "I have some of those abilities as well, although they aren't as focused as Dave's." Looking at her ex-boyfriend, she said, "The flying thing is new, however."  
  
"Technically, I'm levitating," the professor corrected her. "Still, maybe one day, I'll be able to fly."  
  
Seeing the light appearing in the eastern sky, he changed the subject. "We need to be getting ready to leave. More than likely, Harokin will be ready within the hour." Putting the brush in his pack, the professor shut the door on his mount's stall. "Be back soon," he promised. Hearing the horse's whinney, he turned and departed followed by the others soon thereafter.  
  
*****  
  
Angie paced about the battlements on the wall. In her mind, she had felt Xena telling her to meet her here, but was she overreacting to all of this stuff? After all, she wanted to play her role as well.  
  
"I don't want to be a burden," she sighed, feeling depressed.  
  
"And why would you say that?" Xena's voice asked from behind her.   
  
Turning, the oncologist saw her friend walk up to her. "Good morning, Xena. I was just getting some air and waiting for you. What's up?"  
  
"I was going to ask you the same question, Angela," the warrior told her. "I've been feeling a great deal of doubt coming from you lately. You're not getting too concerned about fighting are you?"  
  
"Well, I do admit that I let you handle a lot of it back on Earth," Angie admitted sheepishly.   
  
Xena eyebrow arched in amusement. While she knew that the doctor hadn't quite mastered her abilities, she had indeed made progress since their first meeting. "We all get better, Angela. Just keep practicing and have faith in yourself. Everyone else does. Hey, you helped hold the Amazons together during that latest crisis, remember?"  
  
"I just wish that I could do more," Angie commented dejectedly.  
  
"Angela," Xena started earnestly. "We all have our roles to play. You are a wonderful healer and that is where your abilities lie. Good doctors are paramount on a battlefield. Besides, you still have those psychic abilities, right?" Seeing the other nod, she continued, "Good. Trust me, you'll get your chance."  
  
"Xena! Angela!" Gabrielle called, running toward them. "Come quickly!"  
  
"Gabrielle, what is it?" the warrior wondered.  
  
"Remember when Ares told us about the visitor? He's waiting downstairs in our room and you'll never believe it!" the Amazon queen told her friend. "Come on, let's go!" With that, she rushed back through the door.  
  
For their parts, Xena and Angie followed as quickly as they could. Minutes later, they reached the doorway to the room.   
  
"Better let me go first," Xena advised, drawing her sword. "But be ready."  
  
A spot between Angie's eyes glowed and she nodded.  
  
Opening the door, the warrior rushed into the area, prepared for the worst. Once inside, she stopped short, a smile spreading across her face. "Beowulf!" she exclaimed and hugged her old companion.  
  
The well-built brown haired Norseman smiled warmly at her too. As always, he was clad in mail with an iron helmet and a fur cape. A determined look blazed in his eyes. "Good to see you as well, Xena."  
  
Looking in back of her, she told Angie, "It's okay! He's a friend!"  
  
"Okay," Angie agreed, entering the area cautiously. "Who's this?"  
  
"Angela, this is Beowulf. Beowulf, this is our friend, Angela Dubois. She and her husband will be fighting with us," Gabrielle introduced.  
  
"It's a pleasure. Any friend of Xena and Gabrielle is a friend of mine as well," he replied pleasantly, adding a bow at the end.  
  
"Likewise," the oncologist returned the greeting. "Xena, is this the same Beowulf as the man who fought with you against Grendel?"  
  
"She knows about that?" the Norse leader inquired confusedly.  
  
"She knows a lot about us, Beowulf," Xena noted. "Yes, Angela, he is the same man."  
  
"My husband will want to meet you too," Angie added.  
  
"The man of the mighty rages," Beowulf noted. "Yes, I have been told of him by Harokin downstairs. If that's true, then we'll have to watch him."  
  
"Harokin doesn't trust many things," Xena groused, looking at Gabrielle. "I won't have him throwing our allies away because of his own petty fear. Now, come. We ride soon."  
  
Gathering up the equipment, the four companions carried it down the stairs, heading for their place within the company. It would be a long trip, but with companions such as these, the journey would be a fruitful one.  
  
****  
  
An hour and a half later, the group stood before the gates. Over the last hour, Cybelle, Genaria, and Deirdre had been transporting Amazons to the site so that they could fight beside their queen. With Ares' help, Beowulf headed his own contingent of Viking warriors. Dave and Angie rode up on Streaker. Behind them, Xena rode up on Argo II who Beowulf had brought with him. Beside her on their mounts were Gabrielle, Beowulf, Livia, and Grimwilkin. Karen and Garth followed them on their own horses. Finally, in the first two supply wagons, Nick and LaCroix had their own respective shelters. Truly, this was a formidable army with which to face the darkness.  
  
Harokin galloped a quick circle around these forces, inspecting their numbers. After the last two battles, he knew better than to underestimate matters. Apparently satisfied with the situation, he assumed his place at the front of the line. Raising his sword, he ordered, "Open the gates!"  
  
The castellans obeyed his wish. As they did so, the outside world loomed before them. While the sky before them remained clear, sunny, and bright, the dark cloud hung over the horizon reminding them of the impending danger before them.  
  
"Forward!" he ordered.  
  
At his command, the company forged ahead. Their columns formed a neat line stretching back for nearly a half-mile. After 45 minutes, the last wagon bearing LaCroix had departed, allowing the guards to secure the gates again. To the people of Nurrengaard, this was the last gasp...if this didn't work, nothing would.  
  
As the troop left, the Faerie Empress observed them from the keep. "Go in safety and with my blessing, Friends. May we all find what we are looking for," she wished before disappearing back into the mists from which she had come....  
  
  
Chapter 17 [Two Weeks Later]  
  
The company continued their march through the devastated countryside, observing where the trolls had laid waste to homes, crops, and livestock. Truly, this was scorched earth policy at its worst.   
  
Seeing this destruction goaded the armies onward and, with the help of the priestesses not to mention very short rest breaks, they made exceptional time. On the fourth day, they had crossed between the Twin Peaks and pressed onward for the Floundering Flood. Two days and a hundred miles later, they had forded that point and started into the Great Forest.  
  
For both Garth and Dave, the sights recalled the earlier journeys. Twice before, they had come this way and fought for Nurrengaard. Twice before, they had won. Both knew that the trolls could be anywhere, but for some reason, Lousain was keeping his forces back. Still, they kept careful watch.  
  
Likewise, Xena, Gabrielle, and Livia maintained constant vigilance as well. For these three, the threat of attack was very real. Every bush...every tree could conceal a troll or a demon just as easily as their Earth counterparts had provided cover for Horde or Germanic warriors.  
  
Finally, at the edge of the plains of Joltenheim, Harokin ordered them to stop. "It is almost dusk, and we need to rest."  
  
Cybelle rode up to his flank, saying, "We can make a single transport from here to the Dark Lands whenever you think it would be prudent."  
  
"Tomorrow. We await the coming of Eadmer and Elsin with their forces. When we are together, then we can make the final trek."  
  
The head priestess nodded in agreement before riding off to advise her sisters of this decision. A night of rest wouldn't hurt, but it did give their enemies an opportunity to strike.  
  
****  
  
[The Pit, Dark Lands]  
  
For the length of the company's trip, Lousain had observed them through his watch crystal and awaited his opportunity. On several occasions, he had been tempted to send his forces against the army and disperse them, but his own sense of the situation, not to mention Dahak's scheming kept him from doing so.  
  
Flexing the regrown hand again, the wizard bided his time. When his adversaries had crossed into his domain, then he would strike....  
  
****  
  
[plains of Joltenheim]  
  
After night fell across the land, Nick emerged from his spot and surveyed the landscape. The endless blowing grasses in front of him brought the wheat fields of Europe and the American Midwest to mind. Somewhere, miles ahead of them or maybe even a few hundred yards, lay the Enemy stronghold. "It's nice to see that crusading hasn't changed."  
  
"Nothing changes that much, Nicholas," Xena advised walking up behind him. "How has the ride been?"  
  
"Peaceful for the most part. I must admit that I've been using the opportunity to think on things," the former Crusader described. "Yet there is a sense of tension in the air. We're getting close."  
  
"Yes," the warrior agreed. "Come, Gabrielle, Beowulf, and I would like it if you would share our fire for a while."  
  
"Thank you," he accepted gratefully and followed her to the campsite. There, the Amazon queen and the Viking lord sat waiting for their friends.  
  
Beowulf glanced up from his cooking to ask, "Are you Nicholas? I'm Beowulf. Xena and Gabrielle have told me an awful lot about you."  
  
"I'm sure. And you are the warrior of legend who killed Grendel. It's an honor to meet you," Nick greeted in return, clasping hands with his fellow warrior.  
  
"Actually, the legends are wrong..." the Norseman admitted, motioning toward Xena. "It was Grendel's son...and Xena finished him off, not me."  
  
"Still, you are a great warrior, Beowulf," Gabrielle pointed out.   
  
The Viking's heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words. Despite the fact that they could never be together, he longed for her. "Thank you."  
  
"We wouldn't have survived the quest without ya," Xena added frankly from the other side of the fire.   
  
"Do you mind if I...uh...have a drink?" Nick inquired, holding up the small container he had brought over with him.  
  
"You would have wine here?" the Norseman asked incredulously. "You need your senses."  
  
"No, it's food...my food anyhow," Nick explained, allowing his eyes to change. "I'm a vampire."  
  
"Go ahead, Nicholas, and save the displays for Lucius," Xena advised. Turning to the other male warrior, she continued, "He drinks blood, but not human blood...at least not anymore."  
  
"You are a vampire and yet they tell me you were on a religious quest. How is that possible?" Beowulf wondered.  
  
Nick gulped down the contents of the container before answering. "Even though I've changed, my outlook hasn't. I still want to help people no matter what. I also have faith despite my condition."  
  
"In other words, Nicholas, you are a hypocrite," LaCroix's voice cracked from the darkness.  
  
"Who?" Beowulf challenged, standing and drawing his sword. "Who's there? Come out or I'll run you through!"  
  
"Oh really?" the Elder chuckled, stepping into the light. "I would like to see you try."  
  
"LaCroix, stop it," Nick requested.  
  
Ignoring the younger vampire, he continued, "Go ahead. Try..."  
  
"Stuff it, Lucius!" Xena commanded, her sword pressed up against his throat before he could react. "Just tempt me to do it. We don't need you that badly."  
  
"And what would Livia say, hmmm?" LaCroix supposed. "Really, Xena, you won't kill me."  
  
"As if that would stop me," the Warrior Princess replied. "Get real. I will kill you one day. Get lost."  
  
"I like where I am very much," the Roman baited, testing the others' tempers.   
  
Shaking their heads, they decided to continue on with the conversation at hand. "So, when do you feel that the attack will come?"  
  
"I'm betting on once we cross into the Dark Lands," Gabrielle guessed.   
  
"Actually, as with Dubois, we must all be vigilant," LaCroix interjected. "An attack could come at any time."  
  
Xena nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. We do need to be careful. On that note, Harokin told me today that we'd best enjoy the fires now. Once we get into Lousain's turf, we won't have them anymore."  
  
"Right," the Amazon queen agreed, standing up. "I'm going to visit with Varia and the other Amazons. I'll be back in a bit."  
  
Beowulf watched her depart before asking Xena, "She's actually an Amazon?"  
  
"She's their queen," the warrior informed him. "It's only been about a year since she officially assumed the position, however." Hearing a snort from LaCroix, she hissed, "You've got a problem with that?"  
  
"The Amazons were dying in my time, Xena. What makes you think your little friend can keep them going?" the Elder wondered, allowing an element of incredulousness to seep into his voice.  
  
"Oh, Gabrielle's really good at getting the best outta people. She has a sense of the Amazon traditions. Finally, she knows about the tricks from Roman dogs such as yourself," the warrior replied nonchalantly, the barb sticking clearly at the end of her retort.  
  
The General frowned at the insult. Seeing that he wasn't going to get the upper hand there, he stalked off.  
  
"What's with him?" Beowulf asked confusedly.  
  
"Oh, there are a lot of things he doesn't like," Nick responded. "One thing is to lose a debate-- especially to Xena."  
  
"He needs to understand that there are a lot of mortals and immortals who have done just that. Tell him to get in line," the Norse warrior advised.  
  
Nick just shook his head and finished the last few drops of his cow blood before sitting quiet and listening to the others talk for the rest of the evening.  
  
****   
  
Dave sat at a fire about fifty yards away from the ancient warriors. As with the others, he was still concerned about their entrance into the Dark Lands on the next day.  
  
"Hey," Angie greeted, sitting down next to him.  
  
"Hey yourself," he retorted pleasantly, hugging her shoulders. "Too bad we don't have any marshmallows or s'mores, huh?"  
  
She sighed heavily. "We're about to face Lord knows what in there and you want marshmallows?"  
  
He shrugged. "Why not? We're as prepared as we can be. Besides, I need to keep a positive frame of mind. It makes things easier."  
  
"How's the shoulder?" she inquired.  
  
"Oh, burning like Hell," he revealed. "The closer we get, the more it flares up, and the more the Child acts up."  
  
"That's all we need," she worried.  
  
"Um, in this case, I don't think we need to worry. He wants to flatten the Enemy just as badly as we do. Trust me, when the time comes, he'll play his part," he declared.  
  
"If you say so," she replied, hoping that he was right. Just then, she saw Garth and Karen walking together toward them. "Hey, guys. Come on over!"  
  
"Thanks," Garth noted. "We were just trying to get things straight."  
  
"Such as what's going to happen when we cross the line," Karen added.  
  
"Garth, you know the answer to that one as well as I do," the professor told him. "We'll get about ten miles over the line before Lousain drops the welcoming committee on us. We just need to be ready for it."  
  
"And we will be," Ferali replied from the darkness. Stepping forward, the gnome requested, "Might I join you as well?"  
  
"Of course," the professor agreed. "Take a seat." After his brother-in-arms had done so, Dave continued, "So, what do you think?"  
  
"I agree with you of course," the gnome told him, biting into a jerky-like strip. "Sooner or later, there will be a battle. The question is where it will occur."  
  
"Wherever it is, we'll fight it. No ifs, ands, or buts about it," Garth cut in, starting to run the stone across his sword blade.  
  
The others sat silently around the fire. Each of them wondered about what would happen next and what their role would be in the events to come.  
  
****  
  
LaCroix alighted in the darkness quite a distance away from the others. How could they not value his experience on these things? True, they had faced the trolls and he hadn't, but still, he had experience with these situations.  
  
"I suppose it's because of Xena's hatred and blindness," he maintained.  
  
"Or perhaps it's you who are blind, Lucien," Fleur informed him, appearing in front of him. Her long hair blew in the breeze and her face, although somewhat stern, was still radiant. "Right now, they need everyone to act as one unit including you. Don't insult Nicolas' intelligence or his conscience. My brother is having a hard enough time with this expedition."  
  
"As I am at seeing you," he retorted.   
  
She stepped back, a tear creasing her cheek. "Why, Lucien? I don't mean to hurt you. I'm here because I love you and my brother. Can't you see that?"  
  
"You awaken strange feelings inside of me, Fleur. Feelings that I thought were long dead," he explained. "I feel so confused around you...so lost."  
  
"The warmth you're feeling is love," she countered. "Don't fight it. Even within a vampire, the heart should be warm." Walking over to him, she put her arms around him and kissed him on the mouth.  
  
For his part, he felt an initial burning and then, the warmth flaring up within him.   
  
When the embrace was over, she backed away and told him as she vanished, "When this adventure is over, you will have a choice to make as well. Be ready...ready...ready..."   
  
Just as if he had drunk a vial of holy water, the General reeled on his feet for several minutes as his system regained its equilibrium. His throat felt parched and burned. His stomach felt queasy. However, he felt...dare he think it...giddy? "Nonsense," he spat, forcing the feeling down. "I am LaCroix, a vampire Elder. I don't have time for such games."   
  
Yet, despite his own admonitions, he knew that he couldn't deny the change which had happened. Somehow, Fleur, despite everything, was trying to force her way back into his life. Should he allow her to do so? "What would Nicholas do in response?" he questioned aloud. Too many unknowns...and not enough time to deal with them before the events of the next day. Feeling the need for contemplation, he returned to the wagon for the rest of the night and the coming day.  
  
  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Eventually the fires around the camp went out and except for the guards, all went to sleep. Only the rustling of the reeds in the wind penetrated the night's quiet. The moon's light shone down on the group, keeping guard over them as well. However, other things were going on as well....  
  
****  
  
Dave tossed and turned on his blanket. Within his head, sounds and lights kept disturbing him. Voices echoed across the kaleidoscope, biding him to awaken.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. All around him, the mists obscurred the landscape, making it seem as if he were above the clouds. "Cybelle?" he called out.  
  
"She isn't here, David," a familiar voice told him. "Do you remember what I taught you?"  
  
"Mrs. Samuelsohn? Is that you?" he wondered.  
  
"If you wish to know, open the mists and step through," the voice stated.  
  
Concentrating, he focused, recalling the lessons he had received from his mentor's wife so long ago. Raising his hands, he felt a large energy surge flow from him and into the fog in front of him, opening a pathway. Stepping through the clearing, he found himself once again in the lush eden with birds singing and the sweet smells of the flowers about him. "This is the Empress's realm."  
  
"Indeed it is," the guide agreed, approaching him. "It's been so long." The woman was in her mid-forties with long brunette hair, the green garb, and face markings of Althanor. "And please call me Pauline, David. Tony would want that."  
  
"How is he?" the professor asked.   
  
"He's in the place you like to call Heaven," the Empress noted, appearing from thin air. "Thank you for coming."  
  
"What can I do for you both before the battle?" he requested.  
  
"You can prepare yourself to fight on another front," the Empress instructed. "The trolls are too strong for a direct assault. Therefore, we must fight on several fronts at once. While the others fight above, you must take the struggle below."  
  
"Into the Pit," he realized. "You know that I can't do this on my own."  
  
"You won't be alone. Others of the company will be with you. Three companions in particular," Pauline replied. "Deirdre, Ferali, Nicholas, and Eve will be with you."  
  
"Just as in Deirdre's vision," he surmised. "Right? But what can Eve do? She won't fight with a sword. She's not allowed by Eli's teachings. Besides, Livia is the dominant one at the moment."  
  
"That is being attended to even as we speak," the Empress told him. "Now, David, I have one other favor to ask, let the Other out. I would speak with him."  
  
Although he didn't understand the request, he forced the change to occur, switching personalities with the Child.  
  
"Ya wanna talk?" he snickered.  
  
"Yes, I did," the regal faerie stated. "I wanted to ask for your help as well. David is going to have to release you at some point. Can I trust you not to fall for Lousain's tricks?"  
  
"Ah won't!" he snarled. "Ya don't trust me either!"  
  
The Empress and Pauline exchanged glances before the higher ranking one continued, "Not whole heartedly, I have to admit especially with that piece of dark metal in your shoulder. It's going to hurt...a lot. Lousain's going to make you both suffer. I'm asking you to work with David. We're counting on you both. Can you do it?"  
  
"Ya really mean it? Ya're really relyin' on me?" the Child asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes," Pauline agreed. "We are."  
  
For the first time, the Dark One managed a smile albeit a brief one across his face. "Awright. Ya got it!" he agreed.  
  
"Splendid. Now, let David out. I need to talk with him as well. And thank you once again for your cooperation," the Empress concluded.  
  
He shrugged and triggered the change once again.  
  
Dave stared at them. "Excuse my impertence, but time grows short. What preparations must I make?"  
  
"Grimwilkin, Cybelle, and Deirdre will have everything you need. Good luck. Go with my blessing," the Empress added, disappearing.  
  
Then, the mists covered the way back up again. As she disappeared from his sight, he could see Pauline blow him a warm kiss for luck. After which, he felt himself transported back to camp once again.   
  
Looking up, he saw Grimwilkin, the priestesses, Livia, and Ferali standing there.   
  
"Ah, David. You're awake. Good," the wizard declared. "We have much to discuss and time grows short."  
  
****  
  
About half an hour earlier, Livia sat on her bedroll, glancing up at the stars and musing over things. She loved battle and all of its glory. However, she had to admit that the company on this particular campaign was less than thrilling to say the least. While she admired the tactical abilities of her mother and stepbrother, their respective outlooks could be difficult to deal with to say the least. The matter of light and darkness also made her head hurt.  
  
"This mission is rapidly turning into a goodie-goodie Eli fest," she groused. "Nobody is purely good or purely evil." Metaphysics often gave her a headache. She preferred reasoning by the point of her sword.  
  
"Life is rarely that simple, Livia," a voice stated from the sky.  
  
"Who in Tartarus?" she wondered, drawing her blade. "Show yourself!"  
  
"I am all around you," the voice continued. "I am the Light and the Way. Open your heart...I require both you and Eve to work as one."  
  
"And if I refuse?" she protested angrily.  
  
"Then, I will make you do it. So be it," the voice continued.   
  
At that point, an intense light shot down from the sky, enveloping the Roman conqueror. Within it, she felt herself changing-and retreating. "No! I won't let her have control! I won't!"   
  
"You have no choice."  
  
"ARRRGGGHHH!" she screamed in pain before dropping to the ground.  
  
A moment later, all grew dark again. Eve stirred and looked about at the landscape. She was back, but something was different. Looking at herself, she noticed that she was wearing armor similar to Livia's, yet it was snow white with a surcoat of the same color. A sword hung over her left hip. "What is this?"  
  
The light and voice coalesced into the familiar figure of Eli. "It is your new condition, Daughter. You are no longer Livia...yet you will never be the Messenger again. Given Paulus' success in that role, I have a new assignment for you."  
  
"And that is?" she asked.  
  
"To take more of a direct roll in the events around you. Soon, the bigger picture will become clear. For now, I need you to accompany David and the others into the Pit. He will need your help down there," the figure pointed out. "Time is of the essence, Eve. Good luck. Go in peace. Remember, the Way to peace sometimes involves a struggle. Use compassion and restraint in all matters. You are the best of both selves and, as my follower, I will always be there for you." With that, the figure faded, leaving her alone with her doubts.   
  
Since she had regained her sense of self, she had eschewed the sword except in the most extreme of circumstances. Now, she was being asked to fight. Perhaps, Livia was comfortable with that, but she wasn't. "You'd best get used to it," she told herself nervously. "Remember, there are different ways to keep the peace. Mother does it with a sword and now, so will I."  
  
At that moment, she heard Grimwilkin ask, "Livia?"  
  
"No, I'm Eve. I was Livia, however," the newly recast warrior told him, stepping into the campfire light.  
  
The wizard took a deep breath in wonder. He was still adjusting to Dave's dual personality and how to anticipate their reactions to what lay ahead. This situation offered a whole new element to consider. "So you are the Messenger once again?"   
  
"I am Eve, but not the Messenger nor am I Livia. Eli has taken those roles from me. I am a religion professor, preserver of the Old Ways, and Amazon heiress. As such, I must accompany David and the others into the Pit. I have assisted him before and would do so again," she detailed.  
  
"And will Livia cooperate?" he posed.  
  
"She has been removed from the picture. I am the best of both selves you might say," she continued. "Please, Grimwilkin. I know that David trusts you. I would ask you to do the same."  
  
"In that case, come with me," he bade and made his way through the darkness to Dave's side. Already there were Ferali, Cybelle, and Deirdre.  
  
Looking down at the medievalist, he could see that he was entranced. "The Empress is still speaking with him," he told the others.  
  
"And I trust he'll know what to do?" Cybelle asked.  
  
"Yes," he replied firmly. "Already, she and Pauline have advised him on such matters. Now, he is on his way back." Seeing Dave's eyes open, he declared, ""Ah, David. You're awake. Good. We have much to discuss and time grows short."  
  
"Such as?" the professor inquired drowsily, sitting up on his blanket. Glancing at the place next to him, he could see that Angie was still fast asleep. "This involves her too, right?"  
  
"No, David. She needs to remain here," the wizard told him.  
  
Deirdre winced, anticipating her mother's reaction at being left behind while she and her father were heading into trouble.   
  
"The Empress had decided, Deirdre," Cybelle answered her doubts. "As your vision has correctly shown you, you are to go with your father down to Lousain's realm. Accompanying you will be Eve and Ferali." Looking at the gnome, she continued, "I am trusting them with you, Master Gnome."  
  
The pint-sized warrior shook his head angrily. "I know what we're up against, Priestess. Remember who accompanied David down into that infernal place the last time! As if I would leave him..."  
  
"Hey, keep it down will ya?" Dave advised, pointing to his sleeping wife. "She needs her rest."  
  
"Do not worry about her. I have placed a sleeping spell on her. She will not awake before daylight. Come then," Grimwilkin directed. "You must leave before dawn." Looking into the darkness, he called, "Nicholas, step forward."  
  
"Nick, come on," the professor reinforced.  
  
The former Crusader stepped into the light. "I heard you all talking. Sorry, I take it you all are leaving on some quest?"  
  
"Lousain's realm or bust," the professor quipped. "Hop aboard now because this is the only bus there."  
  
"Will you accompany them, Nicholas?" Cybelle requested.   
  
"Something tells me that I should," Nick agreed. "That is if you think it's appropriate for me to go in there with them."  
  
"It is," Eve noted.   
  
"Right," Dave concurred, getting up and gathering his things. For good measure, he leaned down and kissed Angie's forehead. "Whatever happens, Princess, remember I love you," he whispered not knowing if this was indeed the last farewell.   
  
The group walked back over to the wizard's fire on the far side of the camp. There, they talked strategies for almost an hour.   
  
Finally, Grimwilkin stood up and stated, "Nicholas, I have something for you." Reaching into his belt pouch, he produced a sprinkle of powder that he flung onto the vampire. "That will protect you from the sunlight as you all ride for the Dark Lands."  
  
"Ride?" Deirdre wondered. "Why can't I just teleport us in there?"  
  
"Because your magic will serve as a beacon to Lousain and his armies. You will know when to use your abilities, Deirdre. Just be prudent when doing so," Cybelle mentioned.  
  
From the darkness, their mounts whinnied, eager for the race toward the goal. Having received their instructions, the group started to climb up into their saddles.  
  
At that point, a familiar voice inquired, "A party and I wasn't invited?" From the darkness, Xena stepped into view with a grim look painted on her face.  
  
Eve and Dave looked at each other. Granted, they weren't sneaking off since they were following a request from higher authorities. However, the warrior's expression made them feel sheepish just the same.  
  
"Sorry, Xena. The Faerie Empress has a job for us to do," the professor informed her.  
  
"Is that so?" Xena probed, her eyebrow arched. "And what does Angela think of this?"  
  
"She doesn't know," Cybelle replied.   
  
"Her husband and daughter are about to go into the heart of Tartarus itself and she doesn't know?" the Warrior Princess exclaimed irately. "She deserves to know something about this!"  
  
"She'll try to stop me," he argued.   
  
"Damn right, she will. I disagree as well. Certainly, there is another way. There's gotta be another way."  
  
"No, there isn't, Mother," Eve told her patiently.  
  
Xena looked at her daughter in shock. At first appearance, she thought it was Livia. However, somehow, Eve stood in front of her, clad in white armor. "Eve? What happened?"  
  
"Eli spoke to me," the princess declared.  
  
"You sure it wasn't Dahak or Lucifer or one of Lousain's tricks?" her mother countered.  
  
"The Empress told me it would happen," Dave argued. "Look, I don't like leaving Angie behind. You know that, but the armies will need her medical knowledge and healing abilities on the main front. It's going to get nasty really quickly down there."  
  
"So, why don't you go, Cybelle, and leave Deirdre here with her mother?" Xena challenged.  
  
"It is the Empress' will that Deirdre undergo her rite of passage in this fashion," the head priestess retorted tersely. "Do you think I enjoy sending my brother, your daughter, the Amazon heiress, and my own heiress into that mess? Do you? Of course I don't! However, there is no other way! Whatever the Empress wills must be done. It is their destiny to face the darkness. Not even you, Xena, can stand in the way of that!"  
  
Grimwilkin added, "You would have been asked as well, but we need you here. Gabrielle and Angela will need you."  
  
"We need them too! The six of them against who knows what? This is suicide!" Xena protested. "At least, let us call the council together."  
  
"There is no time," Eve disagreed, walking over to her parent. "Mother, remember when I left the village that time to be on my own? This is yet another one of those times. Please respect my wishes."  
  
Xena felt her eyes tear up. Bad enough that Lucius was such a bad influence on her, but now, she was changing and ready to charge headlong into trouble. But, as she had proven time and time again, the former Messenger was indeed her own woman. As such, she didn't need protecting, but it was so hard to let go. "Okay," she relented. "But be careful."  
  
"I will, Mother," Eve concluded, embracing her mother desperately. For three minutes, they stood there not wanting to let go. Then, finally, Eve pushed herself away and got up on her horse.  
  
"As for you," the warrior insisted to Dave, a disapproving look in her eye. "What do I say to Angela?"  
  
"Don't look at me like that, Xena," he snarled. "I don't like this either, but duty's duty. As for Angie, she's with me in my heart. She knows that. It'll kill me to be so far apart from her, but who else knows the Pit?"  
  
"And what about Dahak's demons or Lousain's magic? What if you lose control? What then?" she debated.  
  
He sighed, "Look, Xena, we're up against a huge army once we get into the Dark Lands. Lousain can recharge them at will. We need to take him out of the picture. If we don't, our collective goose is cooked anyway. Have faith, okay?" His eyes watered. "Tell Angie I love her." He embraced his friend tightly.   
  
For a minute, she was back in Japan talking to Gabrielle before the battle with Yodoshi's troops. Despite her soul mate's request, she pressed ahead with her task and nearly killed herself in the process. She eliminated Yodoshi, but only with her friends' help did she come back. "I...understand, David. Just come back in one piece okay?"  
  
"Count on it," he assured her, glancing into her eyes and managing a confidant smile. Turning, he climbed up on Streaker's back and gave Xena one last smile. Everything would have to work out one way or the other. Looking around at the others, he gave a brief nod and took off toward the horizon.  
  
Following closely behind, Eve, Nick, Ferali, and Deirdre rode in the same direction.  
  
For a long time, Xena looked at the horizon, marveling at the group's determination. "Eli, protect them," she requested earnestly. Then, after a glance at Cybelle and Grimwilkin, she stalked back off into the darkness leaving the others alone with their thoughts.  
  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Gabrielle stirred on her blanket. "Mmmm...Xena?" she mumbled drowsily. Receiving no answer, she forced herself to sit up and look around. In the flickering torchlight, she could see her companion's rumpled blanket. "What's going on?" she wondered, looking around.  
  
"It's okay, Gabrielle," the warrior assured her while approaching the spot.   
  
Seeing the disgruntled look on her face, the Amazon queen disagreed, "You don't seem okay. What is it?"  
  
"Oh, everything," Xena told her, sitting down on her blanket. "Everything's changed and now, David, Eve, and several others have taken off to deal with Lousain on their own."  
  
"What?" the Bard asked, jumping to her feet. "Xena, how could you let them leave like that? It's suicide!"  
  
"I know," the warrior agreed, shrugging. "But apparently, they're operating under higher orders from the Faerie Empress and Eli. Eve and Livia have merged into this new warrior figure as well. All I know is that there's gonna be Tartarus to pay when Lucius, Harokin, and Angela find out."  
  
"At least Nick's here to calm him down," Gabrielle supposed. Seeing her friend shake her head, she asked, "He went too? Of course he would! He wouldn't let David go off on his own nor would he let Eve go either. We should tell Grimwilkin about this."  
  
"He's behind it too," Xena snarled. "Well, we have to wait a few more hours before...." Looking about anxiously, she challenged, "Ares! Come out cuz I can feel my skin crawlin'!"  
  
A snort came from the darkness. "You all seemed as though you needed a hand." The war god stepped into the torchlight.   
  
"We've got enough to worry about without babysitting you too," Xena groused, swiping her sword across a sharpening stone.  
  
"Dubois has got stones to ride off like that. Imagine what the Little Woman's gonna say?" he baited.  
  
"She's going to be ticked off," Gabrielle replied tersely.  
  
"I'm worried about Lucius," Xena advised the others. "He's gonna go ballistic when he finds Eve and Nicholas gone."  
  
"Oh, now you're worried about him?" Ares inquired somewhat tauntingly.  
  
The two soul mates sent him a collective dirty look.  
  
"No, I can still kick his ass anytime I want. I just don't wanna deal with his pouting over the situation is all," Xena noted. "So, why are ya really here?"  
  
"As I said, I wanna help," he said earnestly.  
  
"You really want to help?" Gabrielle asked in disbelief. "How about leaving right now?"  
  
At that moment, her counselor held her hand up and disagreed, "No, Gabrielle. If he wants to help, fine. We need all of the help we can get." Turning back to the war god, she pointed her sword at him and stated, "I will be watching, Ares. Don't screw up."  
  
"I won't," he promised, gritting his teeth at the memory of what Dahak did to him before. "I want him gone as badly as you do."  
  
"Yeah, I'll bet," the Amazon queen snickered knowingly. "Just remember what I said, Ares. Hands off of my daughter."  
  
He started to fire back a retort when a voice called, "Where are they?"  
  
"Whoops! I think the General just found out," he declared, belaboring the obvious.  
  
"Hey, Lucius! People are tryin' to sleep. Why don't ya come over here?" Xena responded moodily out into the darkness.  
  
LaCroix approached testily. Obviously, something was on his mind. "Do you know where Nicholas and Livia are? I can't feel them anywhere! If you're behind this...."  
  
Xena chuckled. "Even if I were responsible for their disappearance, Lucius, there ain't a whole lot ya can do anyway." Watching him carefully, she now pointed her weapon in the General's direction. "I'm already pissed off enough as it is about this whole mess. Don't press your luck."  
  
"So! You do know! Where are they? I demand to know!" the Elder pushed.  
  
"I told ya I don't know," Xena hissed, now fingering her chakram. "Back off!"  
  
"I will find out," LaCroix vowed adamantly. Looking at Ares, he continued, "What do you want?"  
  
"To help out because your so-called son went off with Dubois and the others," the god declared. "By the way, Chief, ain't the sun going to be comin' up soon?"  
  
Seeing the pink coloring in the eastern sky, he groused, "This isn't finished!" With that, he flew off in search of cover against the encroaching daylight.  
  
"He's right, Xena. As much as I hate to say it, he's right," the Bard-Queen admitted.  
  
"I know, Gabrielle. I know," the warrior concurred reluctantly, staring at the north in the direction where the others had ridden off toward the Dark Lands beyond.  
  
****  
  
Several hours later, Harokin and Eadmer convened the military council in the former's tent. In addition to the leaders of the larger squads within the army, Grimwilkin, Cybelle, and Varia sat at the main table representing their peoples.  
  
The high leader stared at Garth and Karen, "Is this everyone? Where are David and the others?"  
  
"That's a very good question," the vassal replied staring at his friend. "Anything, Karen?"  
  
"No, he's nowhere near the camp and neither are the others. They're gone. Xena, Gabrielle, Beowulf and Angie are scouting around the camp just in case," she noted.  
  
As if on cue, the aforementioned quartet entered the tent looking worn and frustrated. Angie, in particular, was nervous and more than a little perturbed that she was here instead of with her husband and daughter.  
  
"Any sign of them, Beowulf?" Harokin wondered.  
  
"None, Harokin," the Norse warrior reported. "We found their trail however. It was already several hours old."  
  
"Considering they rode off in the middle of the night, that's not a surprise," Xena added wryly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Eadmer insisted. "David wouldn't desert us. He's loyal to Harokin."  
  
"Unless, of course, the wizard has used his dark magic to influence our wayward knight and the others. I always feared as much," Harokin speculated.  
  
This time, Xena stomped forward, a ferocious look on her face, and her eyes burning into his own. "Look. I know ya don't think David can control that thing inside of him, but he's made real progress since we've known him. He hates Lousain and would rather die than join him. Watch yourself. Others could lead this army, ya know."  
  
"Such as you? The myths are simply myths! No woman could lead an army," the commander protested. Upon hearing sarcastic laughter from the back of the room, he turned to see Ares suddenly standing there with a look of grim amusement and disbelief on his face. "And who are you?"  
  
"The name's Ares and I'm the Greek god of war," Ares retorted. "As for Xena, she's not just any woman. She has led conquering armies from Britannia to Japan and conquered many lands before she became soft..." He allowed a pause for a disapproving look at Gabrielle before continuing, "Isn't that right, Beowulf?"  
  
"Indeed, her wrath has extended to the gates of Valhalla itself," Beowulf concurred. "She should be accorded respect, Harokin, and so should her friends. Don't challenge her, my friend."  
  
"Unless you wanna end up dead," Ares interjected.  
  
"That's enough!" Angie interrupted. "Begging your pardon, everyone, but I will not have people insulting my husband, daughter, nor our friends without proof! Xena, you know something. Share it with us please."  
  
The Warrior Princess sighed deeply, "They rode off in the middle of the night for the Dark Lands. As for why, you'll need to ask Grimwilkin and Cybelle."  
  
"Grimwilkin?" Eadmer posed. "Can you tell us?"  
  
The elderly man nodded. "David was instructed to do so by the Faerie Empress. Ferali and Nicholas accompanied him."  
  
"The Faerie Empress also laid this task to Deirdre," Cybelle added.  
  
"Eve apparently had a chat with Eli," Xena declared.  
  
"Eve?" Eadmer inquired.  
  
"She means Livia," Ares told him, an element of impatience in his voice. "Unfortunately, this is the second time that he's screwed her up." A glance back at the warrioresses revealed his scorn for Eli. "Now, she's the goodie-goodie again."  
  
"Oh, she's not exactly that, Ares," Xena disagreed, a frown across her face. "Still, Harokin, what are we gonna do about this? Are we gonna sit here like sitting ducks or are we advancing?"  
  
"I say we advance," Eadmer concurred.  
  
"We shall go too," Gabrielle added.  
  
"The priestesses will support you as well," the High Priestess told them.  
  
Garth urged, "Harokin, we should go with them, Milord."  
  
"As long as we advance cautiously," Beowulf spoke up. The dark haze will be on top of us soon. If we ride now, we can be there sooner."  
  
"If we stay here, Dahak will wipe us all out," Ares pointed out, albeit reluctantly. "If we move and fight, we can marshal our efforts and deal with him and the wizard can organize themselves."  
  
The leader thought on these words for several minutes as he paced about the tent. Peering out onto the plains, he saw the darkness advancing from the wicked place. There was no choice.  
  
"Everyone prepare! We move out in three hours! Let's go!" Harokin finally commanded.   
  
The group departed for their respective places within the army.   
  
****   
  
Outside, Angie stared up at the gathering gloom on the horizon. "Dave, what were you thinking? Why don't you trust me?"  
  
"He didn't have a choice, Angela," Xena told her, walking up behind her. "Apparently, Grimwilkin thought that you were needed here more for your healing abilities. Trust me, when we get in there, we will need good healers. You're the best."   
  
"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Xena," the oncologist expressed. "I just wish that I could stand by his side in this mess. I want to safeguard my daughter as well."  
  
"And you don't think that I wouldn't want to be with Eve right now? That's just part of being a good mother, Angela. Everything's going to work out. Meantime, we can wait together, okay? And you can fight alongside Gabrielle and me anytime," the warrior continued, adding a smile at the end for emphasis. "You're very good at this too, Angela. Give yourself some credit. You can't lie to me, right?"  
  
Angie shrugged. Xena had a point. "Okay," she admitted. "Let's go and thanks."  
  
"My pleasure," her friend concurred, hugging her "roommate's" shoulders as they walked toward the waiting Amazons and their horses. They had a long ride ahead, but with companions and hope, the miles seemed shorter, or so they hoped.

to be continued  
  



	3. The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled ...

The Harrowing Road Unwillingly Traveled (Part 3)  
David J. Duncan  
July 2002

Chapter 20 [Four days later]  
  
Nick glanced around the campsite for any signs of suspicious activity. Since the group had broken away from the main army, their ride had been unexpectedly quiet. Riding hard and fast, they had made good time, traversing the remainder of the plains. Now, at the base of the mountains, they would be in the Dark Lands with another hour's ride. Fortunately for him, the darkness had blocked out the sunlight for much of this impromptu journey.  
  
"Nicholas?" Eve asked. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh yes. Just wondering what we're about to face," he commented, taking a draught from his cup of bloodwine.   
  
She nodded, not wanting to admit her own uncertainty as well. Ever since her discussion with Eli, she had tried to rationalize her transformation. How could she be both spiritual and savage at the same time?  
  
His eyes probed her face, discerning her uneasiness. "What is it?"  
  
"Oh, just this new state of things, Nicholas," she revealed. "In the past, I've always been repulsed by wanton violence and hatred. Now, I'm supposed to take that all in with Livia. I don't know how I can do that."  
  
He shook his head. "Who says you have to take in the hate?"  
  
"What?" she inquired in confusion over his meaning.  
  
"I live with the Vampire and I use my powers for good. Eve, I haven't killed a human being for food in over a century. You will need to find ways to channel Livia's anger."  
  
"But you still drink blood," she pointed out.  
  
"I drink cow blood, not human blood. Maybe it's not the best solution, but it keeps me on an even keel for the most part," he responded frankly, holding up his cup for emphasis. "Look at your mother and Dave too."  
  
"What about them?" she wondered, scratching her head as she looked at the sleeping medievalist. "He still goes berserk. And, as for Mother, she had Gabrielle to help her."  
  
"And you have all of us," Nick asserted. "From what I understand, Gabrielle had to practically help her past Ares' influence. Dave, on the other hand, is a work in progress. Just as I have to deal with the Vampire, he has to deal with the Child. Haven't you noticed that it takes longer for Dave to reach the breaking point these days? That's because of the herbs and our help. Every day's going to be a challenge, but we have to be there for each other. Having Natalie, Schanke, and Alyce with me here in Tucson has helped me so much." Rubbing her shoulder, he continued, "I guess what I'm saying is that you aren't alone."  
  
She blushed and smiled, "Thank you, Nicholas. I do appreciate it."  
  
"It's my pleasure," he concluded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your thoughts." With that, he walked off into the darkness.  
  
Glancing up at the sky, she stated, "Thank you, Eli, for giving me such good friends."  
  
****  
  
Deirdre sat in a meditative pose on the other side of the camp, investigating the mystical vibrations of the area around them. As expected, the Dark Lands' influence blackened the landscape's emanations. Far off in the distance, she could feel the trolls' presence. While they were still a ways off, their presence still made her nervous.  
  
"How will we defeat them?" she protested in a low voice to the air.  
  
"With great faith and determination, Young One," a familiar voice advised.  
  
Looking to her right, she saw Ferali standing next to her. As always, his expression was grim. "Oh! You startled me!"  
  
"I do that," he noted. "You should have more confidence in yourself. We can do this feat."  
  
"If you say so," she sighed. "Aunt Cybelle told me the story of how you and Papa were in the Pit."  
  
For once, a smile crossed his features. "Ah, that was a long time ago, Deirdre. Your father has actually gone into the Pit twice against overwhelming odds and survived."  
  
"But the second time left him scarred," she interjected.  
  
"From what Grimwilkin has told me, his problems started long before he stepped into this land," the gnome disagreed. "With your grandsire, perhaps? The seed was already there, but the wickedness in this place fertilized the parasite's growth. Latch onto your goodness and the inner light you carry in your heart."  
  
"Our light is only a spark against this darkness!" she argued.   
  
"Just like with your nightlight, right?" Dave inquired, sitting down next to them. "Remember when you used to be scared of the dark?"  
  
"Papa," she muttered, her face flushing with embarrassment. "I was little then."  
  
He shrugged. "Just listen to me, okay? I do have a point here."  
  
"Okay," she agreed reluctantly.  
  
"Okay, if you recall, having that little light with you made you feel secure, right?" he continued.  
  
"Right," she concurred. "And?"  
  
"And the light in there will keep you safe against the darkness if you let it in the same fashion," he told her, pointing at her chest. "Fear is a killer."  
  
"Is that how you resisted Alti?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Partially. I also had some help from my Other Half," he remarked. "Don't give in, Sweetie. I'm here. Okay?"  
  
She nodded and embraced him tightly, her eyes watering. No matter that she was a priestess undergoing a big test; she was always his little girl. As such, she felt secure in his arms. "I love you, Papa."  
  
"And I love you too," he told her warmly, kissing the top of her head. "Never forget that or how proud your Mama and I are of you."  
  
"As I am of you both," Ferali declared. "Might I add something to what you said, David?"  
  
"Go ahead," Dave agreed.  
  
"You spoke of our light as a spark against this darkness, Deirdre," he explained. "While a spark might be easily smothered, it can also ignite an inferno in the right conditions. In just the last few minutes, I have seen your "spark" burn brighter. Have hope and we'll persevere."  
  
"Thanks for that," she said gratefully.  
  
Seeing the others approaching them, Dave declared, "Well, since none of us can sleep anyway, we might as well press on. Besides, from here on out, we won't be able to stop for long in any event. Lousain's spies are everywhere."  
  
"Such as his dark birds?" the gnome asked, recalling their last venture.  
  
"Uh huh," the professor continued, packing his gear and checking his arrows. "Not to mention the troll patrols. We'll have to avoid them."  
  
"We should be able to do that if we're careful," Nick assured him. "Speaking of which, I take it that we're pressing on?"  
  
"We should," Ferali replied. "David is right in that the wizard's infernal spies are everywhere."  
  
"Give us about ten minutes," the immortal Crusader requested as he turned to relay the news onto Eve.  
  
"Right," Dave agreed, completing his own packing.  
  
****  
  
Several hours later, the group had ridden through the pass and entered the Dark Lands. The barren landscape and acrid air repulsed Eve and Deirdre. To Dave and Ferali, their previous experiences in this desolate place had prepared them for this stage. Nick's own background as a knight gave him some measure of protection as well.  
  
"Stay sharp!" Dave reminded the others.  
  
"How much farther to the Pit, Dave?" Nick inquired.  
  
"A day and a half," the professor replied, pointing to the scarlet plume far off in the distance. "It's just on the other side of that volcano. Remember, we need to keep a low profile. We're on Lousain's turf now."  
  
As they all agreed, the group silently pressed on. Their ride took them past several cracks in the ground that spewed clouds of heated ash. In the distance, a constant beating sound almost like war drums could be heard.  
  
"I wonder if this is what Mother felt like in Japan before dealing with Yodoshi's troops," Eve mused nervously, looking about.  
  
"I'm sure," Dave replied. "But knowing Xena, she didn't back down and neither can we." Then, he went silent as well. The fragment in his shoulder throbbed to the same beat as the din, telling him that Lousain was using it to track them. "Damn it!" he realized.  
  
"What is it, David?" Eve asked with concern. "Are you in pain?"  
  
"Nothing I can't stand," he muttered. "No, we need to find a way to block the effects of the fragment for a while. He's using it against us."  
  
"How?" Deirdre wondered.  
  
"It's acting like a homing beacon," Nick realized. "That's why you wanted to keep moving, isn't it?"  
  
"Right," the professor concurred. "But, I can use it against him as well." Focusing, he used his abilities to determine the background "noise". From there, he created a "shield" of sorts to match their surroundings. "There," he told the others. "The problem's solved for the time being. At least, I won't be as evident to him." Seeing the others' confusion, he noted, "I'm blending in with the rest of this garbage around us. He'll really have to concentrate to see us now. Come on, I don't know how long I can keep this up."  
  
"We're with you, Brother," Ferali assured him, reaching up and gripping his friend's hand.  
  
"I know that, but thanks," Dave expressed appreciatively as they quickened their pace. The volcano loomed ever closer and with it, the gaping maw into which they had to go. For now, they had to reach it before the Enemy found them.  
  
  
Chapter 21  
  
[Dahak's Realm]  
  
Lousain sat nearby the demon lord, concentrating on the progress of their adversaries. He admired their efforts to confound him, but he managed to overcome these obstacles nonetheless.  
  
"So, where are they?" Dahak wondered, eager to crush their foes.  
  
"They have split their forces," the wizard noted. "The smaller advance group has entered my realm. The larger army is still a day's ride behind them. Patience is needed at this point. In fact...." He stopped the report right there as his face went white and then turned a dark shade of red. "NO!"  
  
"You've lost them, haven't you? I figured Dubois and the Messenger would figure out your little trick," his comrade taunted. "We should send the trolls out to find them."  
  
"No," the wizard disagreed. "The trolls are for the main army. I will be waiting with a sizable contingent for them at my main chamber. Why seek them out when they will come to me?"  
  
As much as he didn't like letting his enemies run around unaccounted for, the demon lord had to admit that Lousain had a point. "It's a gamble, but an acceptable one. Very well, Lousain. In the meantime, I will keep watch on the army."  
  
"If you wish," the sorcerer acquiesced. "Don't stir them up too much." With that, he vanished into thin air.  
  
"Oh, no more than needed. No more than needed," Dahak told the air where his ally had been only seconds earlier before preparing for the next stage.  
  
****   
  
[plains of Joltenheim]  
  
Xena frowned as she scanned the trail left through the billowing grasses ahead of her. By torchlight, it was difficult to track where the others had gone. Fortunately, both she and the Amazons were expert trackers who could follow a trail blindfolded. In addition, both Ares and LaCroix had scouted ahead, letting them know they were indeed on the right track.  
  
"For once, even those two are earning their keep. Will wonders never cease?" she cracked, taking a sip from the water skin she carried on Argo II's saddlebag.  
  
"We're not that far behind Dave," Angie told her as she rode up closer.  
  
"How's the link goin'?" the warrior asked.  
  
"Dave's not responding to me. I hate it when he gets like this!" the doctor fretted.  
  
"He's not giving his position away to Lousain," Xena guessed. "It's nothing against you, Angela, but in opening himself to you, he would also give their position away to the nasties out there."  
  
"Whatever," Angie muttered, knowing she was right, but still concerned. "We'll be inside of that wicked place ourselves in an hour more or less."  
  
"If we don't run into any surprises," Ares told them as he approached. "Knowing Dahak, there will be something between us and that Pit of yours."  
  
"Count on it," the Warrior Princess declared. "Have you seen Lucius lately?"  
  
"He's onto Eve and your vampire buddy's trail like a bloodhound," the war god reported. "In fact, here he comes."  
  
The Elder descended in front of them, nearly spooking the horses. "We're close," he reported.  
  
"Yeah, I had gathered that too," Xena deadpanned with an air of sarcasm and her eyebrow arched noticeably on her face. "For that, we had you go on ahead?"  
  
"Without me, your Amazons would be guessing!" LaCroix hissed. "At least, I can sense where they went. There is nowhere that Nicholas can go where I cannot track him!"  
  
"But you cannot find him within the Dark Lands, can you?" Grimwilkin responded. "No, the stank background to that place will confound even you. We will all discover that shortly as you have already pointed out, Angela."  
  
Looking back, the group saw the army's torches about fifty yards behind them, the beings beneath them awaiting the orders to advance ahead. They also heard a horse coming toward them. Once within torch sight, they recognized the rider as Gabrielle.  
  
"Hey, what's the word?" Xena requested.  
  
"The trail definitely points toward the pass and the Dark Lands," her companion pointed out. "That's what you're finding out too, Lucius?"  
  
"Indeed," LaCroix affirmed, shrugging in Xena's direction. "The sooner we're there, the better."  
  
"Yeah, I'll feel better when...wait!" the warrior started to reply before feeling something threatening around them. Drawing her word, she challenged, "Awright, whatever you are! Come out!"  
  
In their midst, a pyre shot up out of the ground spontaneously, a chuckling noise coming from its center. "Very good, Xena. Your senses are as sharp as ever. What a pity that I will have to exterminate them and you."  
  
"Dahak, what d'ya want?" the warrior interjected impatiently, not in the mood for prattling with the Dark Lord.  
  
"Join me before I have to kill you," the voice within the flame offered.  
  
"What and be slaves?" Ares protested.  
  
"You still belong to me, Traitor. I'll deal with you when the time comes," the voice declared. "Gabrielle, I am running out of patience with you as well."  
  
"Give up on me, Dahak. I'm not going to be at your side. Not now. Not ever," the Amazon queen stated boldly.  
  
"Very well. When you cross into my ally's realm, we will be waiting for you!" the voice promised as the flame burned out.  
  
"Another day, another threat," Xena groused, sheathing her sword.   
  
"This is one you should take seriously, Xena," her soul mate argued.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that," her counselor replied. "I am. Trust me on that one. C'mon, let's tell Harokin and Beowulf about this development before we press on." With that, the two warrioresses rode back toward the group, leaving Ares and LaCroix to hold the northern boundary of their progress.  
  
  
Chapter 22  
  
Upon hearing the news from Grimwilkin and the others, Harokin mobilized the combined forces. When he thought enough time had passed, he rode ahead, signaling for the others to follow.   
  
"What were they thinking?" the commander groused to Grimwilkin and Beowulf. "I ought to give them a thrashing when we catch up to them."  
  
"They are under the orders of higher authorities now, Harokin. Don't question the will of the Faerie Empress in these matters," the wizard reminded him. "They are serving their purpose. Do the same." With that, he rode on ahead to be with Xena's group.  
  
"I wish he'd say something without speaking in riddles," the leader sighed.  
  
"He was clear enough in my opinion," the Norse leader told him. "Besides, I'm willing to take Xena and Gabrielle's word on such matters."  
  
"What is it about those two that has you so bewitched?" Harokin pushed.  
  
"I have fought beside them. I owe them my life several times over. Besides, when someone like Xena relinquishes the Rheingold willingly, it says something about her honor. Finally, I have never seen anyone fight like those two against superior odds," the Viking declared. "Trust in them, Harokin. Even though they are women, they are superior to most men on the battlefield."  
  
"Well, you'd best be right about that, Beowulf. On your word, they're leading us into that foul place," Harokin responded tersely.   
  
"I would want nobody else for that job," Beowulf asserted. "No one else."  
  
****  
  
Just before they reached the border, Grimwilkin reached Xena's side.  
  
"What's goin' on with our Fearless Leader?" she inquired.  
  
"He doubts your ability. Beowulf is trying to convince him otherwise," he noted.  
  
Her right eyebrow arched, a nonchalant smile crossed her face, and she shrugged. "So, he's sexist. And I suppose that I have to prove myself to him? Well, we'll all have a chance to prove ourselves soon enough. I don't have time for this nonsense. What do you think?"  
  
"I have observed you on several occasions. I have no such doubts," Grimwilkin assured her.  
  
"At least, you've got some sense then," Ares interjected. "How do your gods let an idiot like that run things?"  
  
"He may be conservative," the wizard disagreed. "However, Harokin has proved himself in this place before. Give him time."  
  
"That's one thing we don't have right now," Gabrielle pointed out while looking at Ares and LaCroix. "And in this type of a situation, one doesn't kick potential allies out the door no matter who or what they are."   
  
Grimwilkin silently nodded as the group started through the pass, making their way for the dark place beyond.  
  
****  
  
Several hours later, the last of the allied forces spilled out of the pass and into the Dark Lands. As with the others before them, the warriors were disconcerted by the conditions around them.  
  
"Terrific," Xena supposed. "Kinda reminds me of Tartarus. What do you think, Ares?"  
  
"This is Dahak's kind of pad all right," he agreed.  
  
Beside them, LaCroix tried to feel for Nick's presence. "Blast! I still can't tell where he is in this hellhole! No matter, I will latch onto his vibrations sooner or later. And where he is, I'm sure Livia will be close by."  
  
"Patience, Lucius," Gabrielle advised. "We're all concerned."  
  
"Yeah, Gabrielle, but in his own twisted way, he does care," the Warrior Princess supposed, while glancing around. "This is too easy."  
  
"You suspect a trap?" the queen asked.  
  
"Knowing Dahak, you betcha," her companion responded assertively. "I'm hopin' that Beowulf can keep Laughing Boy back there on his toes."  
  
"Harokin is keeping an eye out, I assure you," Grimwilkin replied.  
  
Sensing that something was amiss, the warrior drew her sword and scanned the area. "Speakin' of which..."  
  
LaCroix dismounted from his steed and vamped out. "Yes, I can feel it too," he agreed. A look back confirmed the thought. "Behind us!"  
  
Turning, they discovered the source of LaCroix's observation. The trolls had engaged the main part of the army.   
  
"Great leader, huh?" Xena complained to Grimwilkin. "Some leader! Let's go! C'mon, Angela! Yah, Argo!" With that, she galloped ahead, leading the others back into the fray.   
  
"Amazons! Attack!" Gabrielle ordered, reinforcing her friend's position. Drawing her sword, she prepared for the worst.  
  
Ahead of the charging Amazons, Xena gripped her chakram and flung it straight into the horde. Making like a pinball, the circular weapon careened, slashed, and bashed through several trolls before returning to her hand.  
  
Executing her battle cry, she pulled up on the rein and executing a double flip, landed in the midst of the melee. "I was wonderin' when you guys were gonna show up!" she exclaimed, slashing into the first troll within reach.  
  
Her group attacked with equal ferocity. Appearing in their midst, Ares began to hack at some creatures while blasting at others. LaCroix stabbed at several and snapped the necks of several others. In addition, Gabrielle and her fellow Amazons carved a swath through the trolls' flank.  
  
On their end, the main army, despite some losses, held its own against the ambush. The Nurrengaardians refused to break ranks. Garth, in particular, carved, slashed, and bashed as he went, wishing he had the others' powers. Karen, recalling what the trolls did to their prisoners, blasted any and all comers.  
  
For every enemy they took down, it seemed two others took their place. For the assembled forces, this had the makings of an impossibly difficult battle....  
  
  
Chapter 23 [The Pit]  
  
For two days, the advance party had carefully made its way across the desolate landscape. Moving from covered point to covered point whether that was a rock, cave, or a secluded pass among other things, the group avoided open ground and Lousain's patrols whenever possible. Despite the fact that the realm's volcanic eruptions and dark magic prevented the sun from shining, they knew that the denizens of that wicked place could see them very well in the darkness.  
  
Finally, late on the afternoon of the third day in the Dark Lands, they rounded the base of the great volcano and stood near the edge of the Pit. Staring down into the stygian blackness, every member of the party except Ferali picked up on the evil awaiting them down there.  
  
"Finally!" the gnome huffed. "I'm tired of skulking about."  
  
"What do you think, Dave?" Nick inquired. "We might be walking right into a trap."  
  
"No doubt about it," the professor responded matter of factly. "Lousain's going to be down there and so will his goons." At that moment, he felt the dagger shard throbbing. "Yup, he's there all right."  
  
"So what do we do?" Deirdre wondered.  
  
"What did the vision tell you to do?" Eve asked her.  
  
"We...have to go down there," the priestess told them hesitantly. "Papa, I wish we didn't have to."  
  
"So do I, Dee-Dee, but we have a job to do," her father stated. "Let's go. Nick and Ferali can take the rear, Eve and Deirdre will be in the middle, and I'll take the point."  
  
"How do you get to go first?" the gnome pushed good-naturedly.   
  
"I'm just suicidal," Dave replied almost flippantly as he started down the path. "Come on."  
  
****  
  
For almost an hour, the group descended down a narrow twisting, dimly-lit path almost uninhibited by the guards. One unfortunate patrol of seven trolls discovered the intruders, but quickly fell to Dave's bursts not to mention Ferali's ax and Nick's sword. Other than that, all was quiet through the first twenty levels. At this point, they came out into an antechamber.  
  
"How much farther to the sacrificial chamber?" Eve whispered.  
  
"Not too much farther," Dave told her. "If memory serves, we have two more levels to go."  
  
No sooner had he said that, then Nick indicated, "I'm sensing a large number of trolls coming this way!"  
  
"At last!" the gnome exclaimed, holding his weapon in position.  
  
"Can't I teleport us down there?" Deirdre requested.  
  
"And give them the chance to surround us?" her father replied. "Nice idea, but this isn't the time. How's your other magic?"  
  
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve, Papa," the priestess assured him, forcing a smile onto her face.  
  
"That's my girl," he complemented. "Ready, Eve?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?" she retorted drawing her sword although she still hated the thought of shedding blood, but saw that she had no other option. In the distance, the natives' sounds could be clearly heard.  
  
"Not really," the professor shot back. By now, the trolls' torches were reflecting off of the walls. "Here they come!"  
  
At that moment, 200 defenders stormed into the area, waving their swords and other weapons. One particularly loathsome creature stepped into view from its comrades and taunted, "Well, aren't you all pretty? Going somewhere?"  
  
"To see your deluded leader," Ferali challenged from his position.  
  
"Oh, you can surrender and we'll take ya to him," the troll leader snickered. "He wants to see all of you...alive if possible, but dead if need be. Well?"  
  
Dave winced and bent over in pain. Obviously, Lousain was pushing his buttons to see what it would take to break him. "Get...stuffed..." he growled. Now that they had encountered the Enemy, he let the "camouflage" drop so that he could focus his attention on the threat facing them. Concentrating, he channeled his energies into a single burst whose shockwave pushed the insurgents backward into their comrades. "Get them, gang!" he yelled.  
  
Despite being outnumbered forty to one, the scouting party moved like lightning, carving into the herded trolls like a butcher cleaving fresh spareribs. Ferali's ax whirled here and there, decapitating several monsters per swing. Nick's vampiric strength and his blade made him more than a match for the Enemy. Deirdre's chants blinded several monsters and banished others to somewhere within the Mists. Forgetting her inhibitions, Eve dispatched several more with her sword. Finally, Dave used arrows, sword, whip, and mental bursts to clean up the others.  
  
"Not bad," Nick stated.   
  
"Too easy. You can bet there's more where that group came from. Come on!" Dave urged, almost pulling the group after him.  
  
"Are you sure you're up to this?" Nick pointed out, noting the stress on his face. "The closer we get, the more pain you're going to feel, and the closer you're going to get to releasing the Child."  
  
"I don't have much of a choice," the professor declared, rubbing his shoulder and gritting his teeth. "Come on!"  
  
Seeing that they weren't going to change his mind, the others rushed down the tunnels after him.  
  
As he ran, Nick could once again see his own efforts to hold off the Mamluks at Acre so long ago. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew his friend was right. "We must succeed no matter the cost!"  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they reached the sacrifice chamber. Strangely, the room was deserted just like the rest of the complex. Although they could sense that their enemies were close by, the group couldn't see them.  
  
"Stay sharp!" Ferali directed, holding his ax in preparation for the attack.  
  
Eve glanced about as well. The air suddenly felt ice cold and dank. Drawing her sword, she concurred, "That seems like worthwhile advice."  
  
"Indeed," Lousain agreed as he appeared on the throne in front of them. "Especially coming from a little pest such as him!" Focusing his energies, he fired a burst, smacking Ferali against the far wall. "I suppose you want to play, don't you?"  
  
"We didn't come here to suck up to you, smart ass," Dave spat as his mind slipped further into the darkness. "Bring it on!"  
  
The wizard smiled and snapped his fingers. At that moment, two hundred more trolls spilled out of the tunnel to his right and surrounded the group. "Are you really sure you want to do that? What do you think your chances are against them and me?"  
  
"Better than dealing with your Hell-breath," the professor baited, his eyes locked on the wizard's position. "By the way, how's your buddy, Dahak, doing? How does it feel to be his errand boy? You know he wants to rule by himself, don't you?"  
  
"Don't plunge eternity into darkness," Eve added. "Reconsider your position."  
  
"Nice try," he complemented as he descended from the throne. "Still, if for nothing else, I'll enjoy watching you all die. Even if the majority of my trolls are with Dahak against your main forces, I still have enough here to deal with you!" With that, he fired another blast.  
  
Deirdre willed up a shield, blocking it with great effort.  
  
"Talk is cheap!" the medievalist roared, responding with dual blasts of his own which exploded against the sorcerer's shielding.  
  
"I actually felt that," Lousain admitted, the frustration evident on his face.  
  
"Flank him, but keep your distance!" Dave told the others. Nick and Eve each took a side with Deirdre and him in front.  
  
Lousain laughed. "You must be joking!" Stepping back onto the throne, he ordered to his troops. "Kill them!"  
  
His minions, eager for a fight, charged the group. Although their desire matched their counterparts, their results weren't much better as the companions dealt expediently with them. Troll after troll fell to the ground like so much firewood.   
  
The sorcerer grew concerned over this turning of events. Thinking that four hundred troops would be more than enough to deal with these insolent intruders, he had sent all of the others out into the field. However, he saw these warriors carve the heart out of the elite of his chamber guard. Finally, after an hour, the dust settled to find the companions worse for wear, but still on their feet.  
  
"I see you're serious about this," Lousain presumed. "Well, you can take that quality to your graves!" With that, he fired a blast at the ceiling, caving it in on top of the group. "That takes care of that," he cracked, sitting down and observing the rubble. He hoped that Dahak was doing as well on its end.  
  
  
Chapter 24 [Outer Border of the Dark Lands]  
  
Even as the Companions were fighting the trolls in the sacrificial chamber, the main army continued to hold its own against the dark forces as well. For hours, the tide of battle had swung to and fro, favoring neither side and taking heavy casualties from both of them. In the second hour of fighting, a lucky troll arrow found Harokin's heart, removing him from the conflict.   
  
At that moment, Beowulf held his sword high, bellowing, "Men! Hearken to me! Hearken to Beowulf! We shall overcome!" Having said that, he charged right into the thick of the Enemy, cleaving the trolls' numbers.  
  
Garth and Karen had spent the majority of battle fighting back to back. For the most part, they had accounted well for themselves, meeting out significant punishment on their adversaries either through his sword or through her bursts. Occasionally, he would use his cloak to conceal himself and kill more foes, but he stayed close to his friend most of the time.  
  
Anger overcame Angie's usual inhibitions about violence as she struck the trolls with mental bursts as well as sword thrusts. She still didn't appreciate being left behind no matter how well Xena and Gabrielle put it. She figured that this trash needed to be disposed of and she was going to do it. The sooner the job was done, the sooner the family could be reunited.  
  
Gabrielle, Varia, and the Amazons waded deeply into the opposition, cutting them down. Although several of the female warriors had died in the effort, they were making progress. For the queen in particular, she was proud of her sisters no matter how this affair played itself out. If they were going to go down, it would be fighting.  
  
Xena rode between the troll platoons on Argo II, dispatching several enemies per chakram toss and disabling others with strategically placed sword thrusts. Despite a lucky swipe from a troll sword across her leg, the Warrior Princess held her own. She was worried about her "roommate" almost as much as about Dave and Eve, but seeing that the oncologist was holding her own, she kept going about her own task.  
  
Likewise, Ares kept a close eye on Xena, concerned as always about her welfare. When this was over, he wanted to try yet again for her affections. No matter how many times she refused him, eventually he would wear down her resolve. Hey, he was a god. He could be patient about such things.  
  
LaCroix, unlike his comrades, fought on foot, taking full advantage of his abilities. Zipping through their ranks like a will-o-the-wisp, the General cleared several trolls in the blink of an eye and continued at that pace.  
  
Grimwilkin and Cybelle held their own with their spells and chants, driving fear into the Enemy.  
  
****   
  
Several hours later, the trolls, deciding that having lost 75 percent of their forces was enough for now, retreated.  
  
"We've done it!" Beowulf exulted. "They're fleeing!"  
  
Ares shook his head in disagreement. "Nah, that's too easy." Looking about, he sensed a familiar yet unwelcome presence. "Damn it!"  
  
"What?" Varia asked. "What is it?"  
  
In the space between the forces, Dahak appeared, not as a fiery shade, but rather, in its base demonic form. Its fangs could be seen protruding through the smile which was meant to intimidate the army.  
  
Xena, Ares, Beowulf, and Gabrielle glared at the soldiers around them. A retreat had to be called...now.   
  
"Fall back!" the Norse commander directed.  
  
"I don't think so," the demon lord declared, blasting the rocky slopes of the pass and causing an avalanche. As a result, the group was sealed into the Dark Lands. "Now, you die!" Training first on the war god, it blasted Ares first, smacking him against the cliffs. In a heartbeat, the demon was on top of him, wrestling for position.  
  
For his part, Ares dueled burst against burst with Dahak, but in the end, the latter was too powerful. After wearing down his victim, the demon delivered one final fiery blast, badly burning and scalding the god.  
  
"So much for the traitor," Dahak sniggered. "Who's next?"  
  
"How about you?" Xena responded bravely, not allowing her fear to show. "Maybe I can't get at Hope, but I still owe ya a few things!"  
  
"I've been waiting a long time for this fight, Xena," the demon agreed. "I'm going to enjoy it. Get ready, Gabrielle, I intend to make you suffer as well."  
  
The Warrior Princess exchanged glances with her soul mate, motioning toward the other empowered members of the party.   
  
Gabrielle sighed. Obviously, they were going to flank him on several fronts. Seeing nods coming from Karen, Cybelle, Grimwilkin, LaCroix, and Angie, she rubbed her friend's shoulder. They had been through so much together. "Let's end this," she stated.  
  
"You know it," Xena agreed. "One way or the other." Drawing her sword, she stepped forward and challenged, "Hey, Dahak, remember what I said to your so-called Deliverer? It's still true!"  
  
The demon roared and threw a blast at her which she easily avoided.  
  
"Was that your best shot? I hope not!" she taunted, trying to hold his attention.  
  
"No, this is!" it replied, willing up a massive amount of energy in its claws, firing it at Xena. Although the main blast missed her, the aftershocks knocked her to the ground, momentarily stunning her. "Now, I finish this!" it crowed, picking her up by the throat. "After I kill you, I'll bury you next to Ares if you'd like."  
  
"Bury...this," she muttered, drawing her dagger and stabbing it into the creature's side.  
  
Dahak retreated in pain. "How?" it demanded. "No mortal should be able to harm me!"  
  
"You know me. I have many skills," the warrior cracked, preparing for her next feint.  
  
Then Gabrielle yelled, "Now!"  
  
The allies, who had waited for their moment, hit the demon lord at once. Although each wasn't powerful enough on his or her own to so much as bother this enemy, together, Cybelle, Karen, Grimwilkin, and Angie knocked it off of its feet.  
  
"Xena, let's do this!" LaCroix urged. Within seconds, he had Dahak pinned against the rocky slope behind them. Despite his enhanced strength, the vampire felt his grip slipping. "Xena, come on!"  
  
"Patience, Lucius!" she hissed, flinging her chakram. The round blade sliced through the creature's neck, spilling its blood in a dark streak.  
  
The demon shrugged off the General. "You'll pay for that, Lucius of Pompeii! I promise you! After I conquer every land, you will suffer along with your ingrate allies. Nicholas is suffering right now and will continue to do so by my hand!"  
  
Although unnerved, the Elder stood and stared at the demon implacably. "If you so much as touch him, Dahak, you'll rue the day!"  
  
"It won't live long enough," Cybelle agreed, joining him. "Get back!" Singing a chant, the priestess enveloped the wounded demon in a whirling display of lights, sounds, and buffeting winds.   
  
"This is pretty, you sow," the demon chortled. "But you're alone now." Then, a blast hit it from behind, knocking it to the ground.  
  
Not wasting an opportunity, Xena raised her sword and slid it right through its cold heart. "Nightie night," she taunted, turning the blade inside of it. "That was for Solen."  
  
"The blast...was...a...goin' away present...from me," Ares said confidently, limping within eyeshot of the dying demon. "Thanks...for screwin' up...a good thing."  
  
As Dahak's struggles grew weaker, Gabrielle stared him in the eye. "You've failed. You couldn't break up my friendship with Xena. You couldn't destroy my spirit. And now, I'm going to save our daughter."  
  
"It...won't work," Dahak protested. "She has too much...of me."  
  
"Hey, when she puts her mind to something, it usually gets done," Xena responded. "And we're gonna help her do it."  
  
"I...I'm not..." it concluded and died.  
  
"Finally!" the warrior sighed and looked at her friends. They had survived this phase of the war. The demon was gone. The trolls had retreated, leaving them to their own devices. After so much pain and sorrow, Dahak was slain and they could go on.  
  
"Now, what about Dave and the others?" Angie demanded. "We have to get to them!"  
  
"Indeed," Cybelle agreed, creating the misty portal. "Gabrielle, can you, Garth, LaCroix, and Beowulf keep an eye on things here? The rest of us have something to do."  
  
"Is it not their trial?" Grimwilkin asked. "We have to let them fight it."  
  
"But we need to be ready to step in if needed," Karen affirmed, jumping into the fog.  
  
The other named group members joined her in the mists.   
  
As Xena and Cybelle were about to leave, LaCroix requested, "Bring Nicholas and Livia back alive."  
  
The two women exchanged looks at one another. Now wasn't the time for wisecracks. "Count on it," they chorused, vanishing and leaving the others on the parched dirt behind them.  
  
Chapter 25 [Sacrificial Chamber, the Pit]  
  
In the midst of the rubble pile, the group struggled to keep the stones off of their heads. Fortunately, between Dave's shielding and Nick's strength, the rubble did little immediate damage. Still, the former felt the strain of the rubble's weight on top of him even as the pain in his shoulder increased with each passing second.  
  
Deirdre used the cover to create an escape hatch, shuttling the others to safety. After getting Eve and Ferali through, she pressed, "Papa, Detective Miles! Come on!"  
  
"Go...on, Nick," Dave urged, the pain clearly evident on his face. "I...Ah'm gonna uncork in a minute an' ya'll shouldn't be here...when...Ah...I do."  
  
The vampire started to debate, but realized what his friend was getting at. "One of these days, you're going to have to let someone else take the lead."  
  
"What? And miss the fun?" the professor responded. "Jus' hang close in the mists. There'll be plenty for everyone."  
  
Nick nodded and leapt into the fog. As soon as the opportunity came, however, he would be back fighting at his friend's side.  
  
Deirdre sealed the portal, leaving her with her father. "I'm here with you, Papa."  
  
"Go on! Git!" he bellowed.  
  
"I can take whatever he can dish out. Now, if you need to change, then change. I'm ready for it, but I'm not leaving," she countered.  
  
"Suit...yerself," he rasped, giving into the pain and allowing the wave of blackness to sweep him away. His left eye glinted and the smile was there, telling of the Child's dominance.   
  
Despite preparing herself for the spectacle, she was still unnerved by the transformation going on in front of her. "Goddess, help him," she whispered fearfully. However, she forced herself to remain firm in her resolve. "Papa?"  
  
"Naw...guess 'gain," his voice growled.  
  
Her eyes widened, but she wouldn't back down. "The Other, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Ya got guts, Squirt," her "uncle" complemented. "Ah like that. Now, ya ready?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "Good, Cuz we got a date with the Big Scuz out there. Ah aim to git even with 'im."  
  
"No time like the present," the young woman quipped, trying to stay calm.  
  
"Git ready!" he instructed, channeling the darkness out of that place into him and letting it empower him. With a single burst, he sent the rubble flying in every direction, freeing them from the pile.  
  
Lousain smiled satisfied on his throne and clapped at the effort. "Well done, Dubois. Well done. I'd ask you where the others are, but I think your brat will tell me what I need to know."  
  
"First of all, Big Brother ain't here," the Child snarled. "An' second, she ain't a brat!"  
  
Deirdre managed to glare at the wizard in front of her. "And I'm not telling you anything!"  
  
"Well...a chip off of the old block," Lousain cracked. "Too bad, she has to die here!" He fired a dark lightning bolt at her.   
  
Creating a shield, she deflected it with great effort. Turning to her father's dark side, she suggested, "Now's a good time."  
  
"Yes, Dear," he snickered, firing a pulse of his own and watching it impact off of the sorcerer's shield. "Time for everythin' includin' Mommy Dearest's washin' pan!" he hissed, sending blasts, pieces of masonry, and shafts flying through the air at his enemy.   
  
While the sorcerer deflected most of the rubble, one shaft found his chest, burying itself deep in his heart.   
  
"Ha! Score!" the Child gloated, raising his hands as if he just hit the winning home run in a baseball game.  
  
Unfortunately, their adversary was less than impressed, pulling the shaft from his chest. The wound healed almost instantaneously. "Not quite," he said disparagingly. "You really shouldn't underestimate me! Dahak has made me immortal!" From his hands, two more blasts struck out. One of them found the Dark One's wound, staggering him.  
  
"Now, you were saying about scoring?" the wizard taunted.  
  
"Ya'll are gonna pay for that," the Child snarled, climbing back to his feet. Concentrating his anger, he returned fire, shoving the wizard into the wall. Using blast after blast, he kept the wizard pinned there. "Stay put!"  
  
As this was going on, Deirdre opened the portal, allowing the other companions to reenter the area. "Go on!" she urged. "He needs help!"  
  
Just at that moment, Lousain burst free from the psychic vice grip and managed a burst of his own.   
  
The Child shrugged it off and retorted in kind.  
  
It was a standoff. For several seconds, the group watched as these events unfolded.  
  
"For Nurrengaard!" Ferali bellowed, raising his ax and charging.  
  
"As if I'd let you do that again!" the wizard laughed, blasting the gnome into unconsciousness.  
  
Moving at top speed, Nick blurred his way around the room, maneuvering himself behind Lousain's defenses. Finally, much as LaCroix had done with Dahak, he pinned Lousain's arms. "Get...him!"  
  
Eve charged the throne area, looking to stop their enemy. Placing her hands on his chest, she chanted, invoking Eli's aid. "In the name of Eli and all the powers of Heaven, I command this evil presence to be cast out!!" From her hands, the familiar energies flowed forth, countering the evil within him.  
  
In pain, the wizard let off a burst, sending her and Nick flying backward.  
  
The former Messenger looked around fearfully. For some reason, she felt as if she were on fire; her head buzzed for some strange reason. Could this be another stage of her transformation? "I can worry about it later," she told herself, standing and assessing the situation.   
  
"Ready to die yet?" the wizard taunted.  
  
"Just try it," she replied coolly. Drawing upon Livia's skills to dodge his energy blasts, she executed a quadruple flip which would have made her mother jealous, landing right beside him.   
  
"You really need to be better than that," he growled, knocking her onto the floor with more ebony energy. "Now, I'll finish you!" Charging forward, he channeled energy into his hands and looked down on her.   
At that moment, Eve's mind flashed back....  
  
****  
  
[Joxer's House, c. 81 AD]  
  
Eve saw herself back in Joxer's old barn as it was burning to the ground and the Greek gods were attacking, trying to kill her. Her mother was trying to defend her, using her newly granted god killing powers to do so. At that point, she saw Hades approaching her, his hands holding a potent energy bolt intending to kill her.   
  
"How'd you think it would end?" the god of the Underworld had asked as he prepared to kill her.  
  
Then, he was engulfed in flames. As he writhed in agony, she saw Xena with a torch in her hand and knew that her mother had killed him in self defense.  
  
****  
  
"How did you think it would end?" Lousain exulted just as Hades had done, ready to release the fatal blast.  
  
Before he could do so, she stabbed upward instinctually, impaling him through the heart. Unlike Dave's shaft earlier, this wound drew blood. "How?" she wondered, not understanding what was going on.  
  
Lousain stumbled backward, falling onto his throne. He weakly raised his head to glare at her. "How...did...you?"  
  
"Eli's gift," she guessed. "I'm thankful for it right now."  
  
"Y...You haven't seen the last...of me," he whispered, slumping into the chair as death claimed him.  
  
"Man...what a trip," the Child groused, rubbing his head. "Ya'll okay?"  
  
"I'm all right," Nick stated.  
  
"None the worse for wear," Ferali reported, bracing himself on his ax.  
  
"I think I'm fine," Eve concurred nervously, picking herself off of the ground.  
  
"We...did it," Deirdre realized.  
  
"We did indeed," Nick agreed, glancing at Eve and wondering what LaCroix's reaction would be to the changes going on in her.  
  
"Good," the Child concurred, forcing the change back.  
  
In a minute, Dave looked around and found his daughter leaning against the wall, nervously shaking like a leaf. "Are you okay?" he wondered.  
  
"I...I can't believe it. I wish...I wasn't so nervous," the priestess stammered.   
  
"You made it. It's okay," he soothed, hugging her. "I'm so glad you're all right."  
  
"I wish I could've been stronger, Papa," she doubted.  
  
"You stood up to Lousain. That takes strength, Kiddo," he assured her.   
  
"And to your darker side too," she sighed, looking into his eyes. "Papa, how do you...live with him? He's so angry."  
  
"He is that, all right," her father concurred. "He would never hurt you or your sisters."  
  
"I know," she sniffed. "He told me that I had guts and he admired that."  
  
"He does," he agreed. "You did fine, Deirdre. We did it. I'm sure your Aunt will be very proud of you."  
  
"Indeed," Cybelle concurred from the rear of the chamber as she stepped through the mists.   
  
Rushing past her, Angie made her way up to the throne area where her husband and daughter were talking and embraced them. "Thank God you're both all right!" she exclaimed, hugging and kissing them both as the tears fell from her eyes. "Don't you ever leave me behind like that again!"  
  
"I didn't want to," he noted, glancing at Cybelle. "But the Empress wanted it that way. Besides, I'm sure you had your share of excitement too."  
  
"Oh, we did all right," Xena agreed as she hurried to Eve's side. "She helped against Dahak."  
  
"That's...something I don't want to face again in a hurry," she declared fearfully feeling a cold shiver down her spine.  
  
"Well, you shouldn't have to," he stated. Looking at the gnome, he added, "Ferali, you want the honors?"  
  
The little warrior walked over to the wizard's corpse and tried to cut the hand off with the bracelet on it. However, his weapon kept bouncing off of it. "Strange, I cannot do it," he admitted. "Wouldn't his immortal resistance to weapons end with his death?"  
  
"Not necessarily. I guess I should try," Eve suggested, albeit reluctantly as she walked over to his side and drew her sword.  
  
"Are you sure?" Xena insisted.  
  
"Trust her," Dave commented. "She can do it. Put it in the brazier when you're done, Eve. That flame will destroy the bracelet."  
  
With a single stroke, the sword struck off the sorcerer's hand. Picking it up off of the floor, Eve rushed it over to the flame and threw the severed member into it.   
  
"Eve...I...You can kill gods," her mother realized. "When did you...?"  
  
"I just found out myself," she explained. "David tried to kill him with an arrow, but after that failed, I stabbed him."  
  
"Amazing," Xena noted, wondering how this was going to change things between them. Seeing her daughter linger before the throne. "What's wrong, Eve?"  
  
"So much blood. I can't believe I killed so many today," the former Messenger complained. "It's my new role, but it troubles me so! How do you deal with it?" Tears flowed from her eyes.  
  
The warrior embraced her tightly, advising, "It's a day to day struggle. If this is what Eli wants from you, then this is what you must do. Just exercise restraint in all matters, Eve. Gabrielle and I will be there to help you."  
  
"I know," Eve agreed, trying to keep her composure. "It's just going to take some getting used to."  
  
"Well, it's time to be getting out of here," Cybelle stated, opening a portal. "Let's get the horses and get out of here. Deirdre, once everyone's gone, I want to talk to you."  
  
"Okay, Auntie," the younger priestess agreed reluctantly, expecting a lecture.  
  
Everyone else stepped into the mists and the High Priestess sealed them, insuring their privacy.  
  
"What is it? What did I do wrong?" Deirdre worried.  
  
The elder woman smiled warmly. "Nothing, Dear. You did very, very well, and I am so proud of you." Kissing the top of her niece's head, she praised, "The goddess should be pleased. You passed your rite of passage. Congratulations."  
  
"You mean...I?" the exasperated girl wondered.  
  
"You sure did," Cybelle reiterated. "Now, let's go. The others are waiting."  
  
Reopening the mists, the two women walked through and left the carnage far behind. The triumphs were sweet, especially against the overwhelming odds placed in front of them.

  
Chapter 26 [Former battlefield outside of Nurrengaard]  
  
Without the threat of attack from Lousain, Dahak, or the trolls, Cybelle and Deirdre transported the troops back to the citadel in one step. Francesca was relieved to see that her friends had survived their ordeal for the most part although she shared in her friends' mourning for the fallen Amazons and the city's deceased heroes.  
  
Meroli received the group in the Great Hall with all due honors. The citadel's leader knew immediately that victory was theirs when the skies brightened and the black smudge on the horizon dissipated. While saddened by the death of his ally, Harokin, the Dark Lands would no longer threaten the combined worlds. For that, the heroes were to be congratulated.  
  
But first, there was other business to be performed....Before the New Age could begin, the old one had to be properly closed out. Their allies had to be properly sent to the Other Side. Already, he had the citizens constructed biers for the funeral that evening. He hoped it would be a fitting one.  
  
****   
  
The sun set brilliantly in the western sky, leaving a multi-colored mosaic for just a moment in its wake. Perhaps, it was a fitting tribute to the fallen that were about to be honored. The affair brought contingents from every affected place. Cybelle and Deirdre represented Althanor. Ferali represented Nurrengaard, but also as Harokin's designated heir, the kingdom as well. Paulus stood at Eve's side, amazed at the changes that had taken place in his friend. LaCroix and Nick stood in for the Community. Xena, Gabrielle, and the surviving Amazons represented their nation. Ares, heavily bandaged, was there on behalf of Olympus. Finally, Dave, Angie and the others stood in for Outer Earth.  
  
"It is a sad time for us all to say goodbye to those friends who fought and died for our freedoms. We shall always remember their sacrifice," Meroli stated. "We have suffered too many losses to the darkness in the three encounters. Hopefully, this will be the last time. I can say to the other kingdoms that have stood with us that we are grateful for the assistance. Your fallen will always be remembered with esteem. I will now turn things over to the next speaker, our good friend, Ferali. Ferali?"  
  
The gnome solemnly took his place on the dais and glanced about at the audience for a minute before starting his piece. "My Friends, I have to admit that I'm not very good with words and would rather let my ax speak for me, however, I wish to say a few things. About my friends who have fallen, as Meroli indicated, you will always be remembered in the Great Halls of my kingdom. To Harokin, I shall miss you. You were my greatest teacher and friend in all things. I hope to bring honor to the throne as your successor. Thank you. May you all be at peace now."  
  
"Queen Gabrielle?" Meroli requested.  
  
The bard nodded and replaced her friend at the dais. "My friends, thank you for allowing me to speak. We have all suffered in the struggle against Dahak and Lousain through a variety of means. I mourn for my fallen sisters. As always, I mourn for the loss of my young friend, Solen, and the lost childhood of my daughter, Hope. I also feel your sorrow, people of Nurrengaard, for your fallen sons, fathers, husbands, and friends. May Eli be with them and with us all in our time of need."  
  
"David?" Meroli asked.  
  
The professor walked painfully up to the platform and embraced his friend who stood there waiting for him. "That was great," he complemented. "Thanks for sharing." Seeing her take her seat next to Xena, he continued, "Friends, thank you for coming to honor our fallen comrades. It seems that we have finally defeated the Enemy. That feat took three battles and several losses not to mention wounds of various types. The loss of our dear allies in particular will be impossible to replace. I have fought beside hundreds of valiant soldiers during our conflict many of who lost their lives to keep us all safe. To my liege lord, Harokin, I speak for both Garth and myself, thank you for helping to inspire us and make us better soldiers.. As we step forward today, may we keep their sacrifices in mind and do honor to their memories. In that way, we can forge a new relationship between our realms that will be positive for all. Can Gabrielle, Xena, Eve, Paulus, Angie, Beowulf, Cybelle, Deirdre, Meroli, and Ferali step forward please?"  
  
The others did so, albeit confusedly.   
  
As she walked up, Xena reminded him, "Umm, there's Nicholas and Lucius to consider."  
  
"Right," he agreed. "Nick, LaCroix, please come forward. You too, Ares."  
  
Nick walked up there briskly, guessing at his friend's intent. LaCroix and Ares took a bit longer, not really caring to associate with the mortals in any way, shape, or form.  
  
When they reached the dais, Dave continued, "These are your new leaders: friends of the fallen and forgers of the New Age. May we do honor to their memory."   
  
Everyone grasped hands and held them high in the air, reinforcing the words in the speech.  
  
Given the charge in his words, there wasn't a dry eye left in the house.   
  
"Now, Meroli, Ferali, Gabrielle, can you do the honors for our friends?" Dave requested.  
  
"Xena, whenever you're ready," Gabrielle stated. Seeing a nod from her friend, she picked up a torch and approached the line of deceased Amazons. "My sisters, I honor you now. May you be at peace."   
  
As the queen lit the biers one by one, Xena sang the Greek funeral melody for their fellow Amazons. The smoke rose from the wrapped bodies as their souls rose with the smoke seeking out the Land of the Dead.  
  
Meroli was next. As Xena continued her doleful tune, he committed his fallen comrades to the fire as well, allowing them to find Paradise. When he reached Harokin, he requested, "Ferali?"  
  
The gnome stood and joined his ally. Taking the torch, he stated, "Farewell, Harokin, may you be at peace." With that, he gave his predecessor over to the flames. "May we never have to go through this again, my friends!" he stated to the crowd, allowing himself to show emotion for one of the few times in his life.  
  
As one, the group hung their heads and offered prayers to their respective deities, seeking comfort and inspiration at that point. At least there was now a vision of hope for the future to make things easier.  
  
  
  
Chapter 27  
  
[Heaven]  
  
Michael stared grimly into the viewing pool. He had hoped to teach Dave and the others a lesson in humility through this ordeal. However, the desired impression hadn't been made. Indeed, Dave hadn't had to go anywhere near Dahak's realm, thereby avoiding the fate foretold in the prophecy.  
  
"Your grandson is resourceful, Lorenzo," he remarked to the angel standing on his left.  
  
"He is, Michael," Lorenzo replied nervously, not wanting to test the archangel.  
  
"Why are you so upset?" Raphael wondered. "The balance has been restored."  
  
The blond archangel shook his head. "No, it hasn't. After the demon lord perished, several souls escaped Tartarus. Dubois and the others will have to face them at some point." Turning from the pool, he requested, "Lorenzo, Fleur, please go to them."  
  
The two angels bowed and vanished in a beam of light.  
  
"Let's hope that everything will indeed turn out right, Raphael," Michael declared to his fellow archangel. "Let us hope for that."  
  
****  
  
[Citadel of the Four Winds, Nurrengaard]  
  
Later that night, Cybelle paced about in her quarters. For some reason, she felt as if something was about to happen, but didn't know what it could have been. With the conflict over, what else could there be?  
  
Then, the Faerie Empress appeared in front of her, bearing a container. "Greetings, Cybelle," she said amicably.  
  
"What can I do for you?" the priestess inquired, taking the vessel.  
  
"Make sure that Nicholas drinks the contents of that container. It is his first step back towards mortality," the luminescent woman explained.  
  
"Absolutely," Cybelle agreed. If this stuff would help the Crusader toward humanity and even possibly break his link with LaCroix, she would pour it down his throat if needed.  
  
"Excellent," the other woman concluded. "I am needed on Earth. Thank you, Cybelle, for your continued assistance. May the goddess smile on you." With that, she faded away.  
  
"Now to find Nicholas," the priestess told herself, stepping into a portal and vanishing from view.  
  
****  
  
Nick stood on the castle walkway looking at the moonlit field far below. The remains of the pyres below still smoldered although the bodies were mostly ash by that point. How many battles had he seen? How many funerals had he attended? Far too many for his taste, he concluded. Even as he considered this situation, his mind flashed back once again....  
  
****  
  
[Acre, 1291]  
  
Two nights following the fall of the citadel, Nick returned to Acre. All around him lay the ruins of the formerly prosperous city, and with it, the walls had been torn down, buildings demolished, fields salted and plowed under and no trace of anyone either Christian or Muslim around for miles. While he had seen the smoke and flames licking at the sky from his cave retreat, he hadn't believed that the Mamluks had wiped out the city and with it, the Crusader kingdoms. Outremer was now under the sway of Islam.  
  
Then, in the town's former center, he discovered Bernardus lying in the midst of the ruins. "Bernardus!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Nicolas?" the elderly man asked. "Bless you. Before you go, take this...Despite what you are, you must have hope." He held a small bundle out in a shaking extended hand  
  
"What I am?" the knight probed, taking the wrapped package.  
  
"Yes...a creature of the night. A vampire. I have known, but kept it...secret. You...are a good...man. God...hasn't forsaken....you," the ecclesiastic concluded to his last breath, expiring at the end.  
  
"Who would have believed it? What do we do now?" he asked himself. Feeling a familiar vibration behind him, he saw LaCroix descend behind him.  
  
"I believe, Nicholas, that we move on. Nothing lasts forever. Consider Rome, the strongest Empire of its time. Eventually it withered away and collapsed. This so-called slave dynasty will rise and fall as well only to be replaced by a stronger power. Even as the Eastern Empire weakens today. It too will fall in its own time," the Elder noted flatly. "As if slaves and plebians could rule effectively in any event."  
  
The younger vampire almost cracked a smile at the other's last bit of cynicism, but he knew better than to risk a thrashing from the former patrician.   
  
"Come along, Nicholas," LaCroix bade, taking off into the night.  
  
Taking one last look around, Nick tried to take in as much as he could of this place. Over the past 80 years, he had fought here off and on, spilling so much blood, and losing much in the process. LaCroix was right. It was indeed time to move on. Without looking back, he followed his master's lead, disappearing into the inky blackness over the Mediterranean.  
  
****  
  
[Present Day]  
  
"Another new beginning," he mused to himself, holding the piece of Bernardus' relic in his gloved hand. He had carried it in the layers of his armor during the battle perhaps as a sign of good fortune. In any event, he considered it in the moonlight.  
  
"Thank you, my friend, and to God as well," he expressed to the sky.  
  
"Well put," Cybelle complemented as she appeared behind him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine. I was just thinking about things and recalling another battle just like this one. Dave's right. This battle was the end of an Old Age and the beginning of a new one," he explained.  
  
"My brother the philosopher," she cracked, handing him the container. "For you, your nightly nourishment straight from the Faerie Empress herself."  
  
"The Empress? Why would she concern herself with this?" he wondered, considering the container and its contents. It looked and smelled like cow blood, but something was different about it.  
  
"She's not trying to poison you, Nicholas," she insisted. "Go ahead. It's her way of thanking you."  
  
"Very well," he relented, drinking the liquid down. As he finished it, he felt a buzzing in his head and a rush of adrenaline flow through him. "What? What is this?" he asked her.  
  
"To what are you referring?" she inquired.   
  
"There was something else in that blood," he declared suspiciously. "What was it?"  
  
"Perhaps, something to help you," the Empress noted, appearing in their midst. "I have given you a measure of freedom, Nicholas. The feeling you're experiencing now is from your body's aging so to speak. By the end of the evening, you will be superior to Lucius in every way. You may only be 800 years old, but your abilities will be that of a 3000 year old immortal. You are also free of the need to drink blood. You may still do so to mix with other vampires if you wish, but you no longer need to do so in order to survive. Finally, the grip that Lucius has over you is dying. Within a few hours, he will no longer be able to influence you."  
  
"How will this affect my relations with Janette and Alyce?" he wondered.  
  
"Alyce and Janette have imbibed similar aging drinks. The former is the equivalent of 800 years old while the latter has regained her former stature. In addition, while Lucius no longer has a hold over Alyce, you will still be able to influence Janette in a minor way. Such assistance does come with a price, Nicholas," the Empress detailed.  
  
"And that is?" he pushed. "Forgive me, but I need to know."  
  
"Of course," the Empress agreed. "You will become the Elder of the Tucson community. You are aware of the effort which your friend, David Dubois, is about to undertake, are you not?"  
  
"With the new mutants? Yes. What about it?" he asked, looking for more information.  
  
"This idea is a model experiment of cooperation and unity between ordinary mortals, those enhanced mortals, and vampires. Of course, as you have seen, several forces will oppose this venture. You must stand by your friend's side and assist in bringing this vision to reality. Lucius will also work toward it, but in another venue," she continued.  
  
"As if he's just going to up and leave," he scoffed. "Excuse me, but I know him too well for that. He still considers me a child."  
  
"You are no longer that, Nicholas, nor have you been so for a long time," Cybelle disagreed. "Lucius needs to be in Toronto, working with your fellow Elders to deal with those renegade vampires. Another is working with him to see that."  
  
"Another Who?" he pressed.  
  
"Yes, that is all you need to know for now. Thank you once again, Nicholas, for your assistance. Know that this is your first step back towards mortality. You are making a difference," the Empress concluded, fading into the night.  
  
"So, I'm really changed," he declared, still trying to take it all in.  
  
"If she says you are, then you are. Nicholas, you're a good friend to my brother. He trusts you implicitly as do the new mutants. He appreciates your help and so do I. Thank you," she assured him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be heading back to Althanor. I'll see you tomorrow night."  
  
With that, she stepped back into the mists and vanished, leaving him to his thoughts.  
  
  
Chapter 28  
  
Even as Nick drank the blood-elixir, Dave and Angie walked through the gardens far below. Even at night, the blooms still smelled sweet, the moonlight's gentle shading lit their skin, and the leaves' rustling in the wind provided a tranquil setting for them.   
  
"It's so peaceful," she noted happily, leaning her head against his shoulder.  
  
"It's that all right," he agreed, taking a deep breath and looking around. In his mind's eye, he recalled the two other times they strolled through this place. First, they had been so hopeful following the last battle with Lousain. Then, they had taken some of their first steps as a married couple here as well following their ceremony in Faerie Land. Thrice, he had fought for this place. Thrice, he had won by the skin of his teeth. Who knew if the wizard was truly dead? "Given everything's that been going on, the peace and quiet is nice," he declared.  
  
"Magog, demons, and trolls, oh my!" she quipped.  
  
"It was nice to be on the offensive rather than the defensive, wasn't it?" he cracked.  
  
"I'd rather avoid such things and let Xena handle it, thank you very much," she replied frankly. "You, however, tend to rush into these situations. Sometimes, I think you relish them."  
  
"You know I don't," he disagreed. "I'm not going to let one of these jerks take anything from me or anyone I care about. At least, we can finally enjoy some peace."  
  
"I hope you're right, David," his grandfather's voice concurred.  
  
The two companions watched as the angel appeared in front of them. He appeared grim yet his eyes shone with pride.   
  
"What are you referring to, Grandpa?" the professor asked.  
  
"There are bigger things in store for you all. As Nicholas is finding out, you're all part of an experiment in peaceful communal interrelations. Tucson is to be a place where mutants, so-called "normal" people, and vampires can co-exist, tolerate each other, and even learn to accept one another."  
  
"So, where do we figure into this?" she wondered.  
  
"You both are the coordinators of this vision," he related. "When you touched base with Adam and his friends, you established the foundation for this relationship. Soon, David, your vision will start to become reality. Of course, there will be those who will oppose it."  
  
"Causing the obligatory fighting for him, I suppose?" she sighed. "Grandpa Alvaro, why?"  
  
"Anything worthwhile must be defended, Angela," Lorenzo replied. "In this case, from those who you have already faced and a few you haven't seen yet. A great test of faith remains for you both as well. Stay strong and firm."  
  
"And what does Michael think of all this?" Dave inquired.  
  
"I'd rather avoid that question right now," his grandfather replied flatly. "Let it be said that I am very, very proud of you both as well as Cybelle and Deirdre. My love to all of you." With that, he vanished into the night.  
  
"I wonder what he meant by that?" Dave posed.  
  
"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. For now, let's just enjoy the evening, okay?" she requested.  
  
He smiled warmly as he looked into her eyes and admired how they sparkled in the moonlight. "You betcha," he concurred as he held her tightly against him and kissed her passionately, allowing their feelings to surface freely and without inhibition.  
  
****  
  
Xena entered the hospice area reluctantly. While she really didn't care to check on Ares, she wanted to make sure he was recovering all right. Dahak had hit him hard during the battle and for a while, they weren't certain if he would pull through. She finally stopped at the fifth bed on the right, looking down upon the resting war god.  
  
"I knew you couldn't stay away," he declared confidently.   
  
"I was bored," she deadpanned, arching her eyebrow and studying his face. Despite his injuries, he was still the same Ares. "Besides, I felt the urge to do another good deed today."  
  
"Oh, is that it?" he probed. "Does Gabrielle know you're here?"  
  
"She does," the warrior replied evenly. "We wanted to make sure you're okay and to thank you for your help."  
  
"Hey, what are friends for, right?" he shrugged, a warm sparkle showing through in his eyes. "Despite what you all think of me, Xena, I do care about what happens to you."  
  
"I'm touched," she told him. "I'm beginning to think that you might actually have some potential after all."  
  
"Hey, ya never know," he cracked. "Seriously, if this new order that your buddy, Dubois, is involved in does come about, I'll have to be a part of it somehow."  
  
"Unless I choose to take you out of it," she warned. "Look, Ares, you work with us, we'll work with you, okay?"  
  
He nodded. The days of his running rampant behind huge armies were long since past thanks to Eli. "Hey, a guy's gotta have someone to hang with, right?"  
  
"Speaking of which, how's Aphrodite? Gabrielle was curious," Xena asked curiously.  
  
"Sis is fine. She's off searching for the perfect powder puff or something like that," he supposed half-seriously. "She was here earlier, ya know. You just missed her."  
  
"Too bad. I really wanted to say hello," Xena concluded. "You get your rest. Thanks again."  
  
"You're welcome and thanks for coming by. I appreciate it," he stated. Seeing the doubt in her eyes, he pressed, "No really. Thank you."  
  
She straightened slightly, not sure how to take that last statement. Was it genuine or not? Only time would tell. "You're welcome. Sleep well." With that, she departed from the area, leaving him to his slumber and deeper musings.  
  
****   
  
A few hours later, Ferali wandered through the complex, struggling with his robes, and the weight of his new office. Always, he had fought first, rushing headlong into battle without hesitation and leaving the questions for later. As the leader of Harokin's land, he could no longer be so forthright or, as some had labeled him, reckless. He had a responsibility to his people now.  
  
"You won't be so free to fly now, my friend," he said to the ax, considering each nick and scratch along its razor edge. Being a leader meant playing the politician as well as the warrior. The learning process in this regard would be a long one, but he knew that Harokin's advisors were the best. Hearing a noise, he swung about, challenging, "Who's there?"  
  
Dave replied, "Easy, Chief, it's just Angie and me."  
  
She added, "We were out in the garden, reminiscing and relaxing before we return to our lives tomorrow."  
  
Remembering that they had come here after the wedding as well as the second battle with Lousain, Ferali responded, "Good memories, I'm sure."  
  
"The best," she agreed. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"I'm fine, my friends. I am just getting used to being the leader is all," the gnome told them. "I hate politics and all of that nonsense."  
  
"That makes two of you," Angie kidded them both good-naturedly. "Seriously, it's been an adjustment for my hubby here and it will be for you as well."  
  
Her husband simply rolled his eyes and deadpanned, "My wife, the critic."  
  
"Hey, someone's got to keep you in line," she giggled, rubbing his right shoulder.  
  
He grinned, allowing his eyes to sparkle into hers for a moment before returning his gaze to the newly-minted ruler. "You'll do a great job, Pal. Just be patient with yourself and give yourself time to grow into the role. I'm sure you'll do fine. There's nobody with whom I would rather go into battle except possibly for Xena. No offense meant."  
  
"And none taken. I have seen her prowess. She is a fine warrior and friend, as is the queen of the Amazons. Please give them both my best. I will be leaving very early in the morning for my new homeland and will not get a chance to see them ere I do. As for you both, if you ever need a home or assistance, the doors to my citadel will always be open to you," Ferali noted.  
  
"As will ours," Dave invited in return, embracing his friend. "My brother-in-arms, may you live long and rule well."  
  
"And may the new age you spoke of today come to pass, my friend," the gnome returned the complement with one of his own. "You will play an important role in this new order...both of you. Know that the heralds will sing of your deeds against the darkness. You have grown so much since we first met so long ago." Feeling a tear crease his cheek, he sighed, realizing that this was farewell. "Go in peace, my Brother. May you find the inner harmony you seek." With that, he turned and walked back into the keep and out of sight.  
  
"He's some friend," she stated. "We owe him so much."  
  
"We do...that's for sure," Dave concurred, feeling a pang of sadness and regret deep in his gut. "But, we all have our destinies. Let's hope our roads all cross again someday."  
  
"Hear, hear," Angie laughed as they followed their friend's path into the castle towards the rest they so desired.   
  
Chapter 29  
  
On the next evening, the group stood in the main garden of the citadel. Meroli had organized a going away feast in their honor where everyone wined and dined until they were ready to roll away from the affair. The minstrels played their finest songs and the revelers sang and danced until the party ended.  
  
Now, it was time to depart. Before they did so, however, the citadel's administrator stated, "David and Garth, you have served our realms well over the years. May you prosper as a reward for your faithful service over the years." Turning to Xena, Eve, and Gabrielle, he declared, "May you and your Amazon sisters always have good fortune and happiness." To the two vampires, he added, "May you both find good fortune." Finally, to everyone, he stated, "The doors of Nurrengaard will always be open to you. Please feel free to visit if you'd like."  
  
"Indeed," Grimwilkin concurred. "I would add to Cybelle and Deirdre that their realm's help was also deeply appreciated. May your goddess always smile on you."  
  
"Thank you, Grimwilkin," the high priestess accepted. "May your beard never turn too gray."  
  
His wizened face twisted into a smile. "My thanks, Lady. Now, shall we?" Raising his staff high above his head, he teleported them all away, leaving nothing in their wake.  
  
****  
  
[Tucson]  
  
When the flash dimmed, the group found themselves on the west side of the Old Pueblo. The street lights were dim and most folks slept soundly since it was the middle of the night.  
  
"This is where Ferali and I found you. So that I won't be seen, I figure this is the best place to leave you. Everyone, to echo Meroli, you have my thanks as well as those of the Inner Realms. May your dreams always come true. Remember, David, to reach us, just use the crystal," the wizard related. "Please feel free to come for an occasional visit if you'd like."  
  
"We'd like that," Angie accepted.  
  
"Right," Garth and Karen chorused.  
  
"Indeed," Dave agreed, bowing to the wizard. "Thank you for everything, Grimwilkin."  
  
"The same to you. Good luck with your new venture. Much success," the elderly traveler replied before vanishing in a bright flash of light.  
  
Cybelle took a look around before stating, "Well, that's our cue. Deirdre, can you take your parents home? I'll take care of Garth and Karen."  
  
"Take care, Garth," the professor advised his friend, shaking his hand.  
  
"You both do the same," his friend told them. "We'll talk in a few months at our reunion, okay? Say hi to Steve Petersen when you see him."  
  
"We'll do that," Angie declared. "Karen, you take care as well. Kiss the godkids for us."  
  
Stepping into the mists, she called back, "I will!"  
  
A moment later, LaCroix declared, "I too have a long journey of sorts to make. Nicholas, stop by the El Gato Negro tomorrow with Alyce and the Doctor after sunset if you would. Dubois, I'll expect you, Livia, Xena and Gabrielle as well." With that, he flew away into the night.  
  
"What was that all about, I wonder?" Eve queried.  
  
"We have a lot to discuss," Nick surmised. "We've all changed in one way or another. Before we move ahead, we all need to know what to expect."  
  
"Know what to expect from LaCroix?" Dave cracked. "That's a good one."  
  
"Be serious, Dave," the former Crusader directed. "LaCroix's not happy with everything that is going on. However, urgent matters have arisen, demanding his attention, and soon, ours as well. Well, if you'll excuse me, Alyce is awaiting me." With that, he took off into the night, leaving Dave, Angie, Eve, and Deirdre behind.  
  
"Ready, everyone?" the priestess asked, opening the portal. After they stepped through, she closed it behind them, removing all traces of their return.  
  
  
Conclusion  
  
Natalie rushed out of her car and up the stairs of the warehouse to Nick's apartment. For several days, he had been missing without a trace. Then, out of the blue, he called, requesting her as well as Tracy, Steve, and Schanke over to his place. They had beat her there, leaving her to finish a lab report. When she got to the top of the stairs, the ME saw her friends with Alyce waiting for her in the loft. Nick was standing by the sink with a row of familiar jade bottles.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
"Nick says he doesn't need blood anymore," Schanke summarized in disbelief. "Have you ever heard of a vampire not needing blood?"  
  
"I don't believe it either," the curator added, her face scrunched in disbelief. "But with everything that's happened over the past twenty four hours, anything's possible."  
  
Nat's face broke into a smile and she exclaimed, "Nick, are you cured?"  
  
"No, not yet anyway," he disagreed. "But, it's the next best thing. Nat, I don't need the blood anymore! I still have my abilities but without the hunger. Also, I've been aged to 3,000 years."  
  
"And I am now apparently 800 years old," Alyce reported, still trying to take it all in. "Still to be able to take in blood as a casual thing and not as an item of need is nice."  
  
"So, you're not cured, but yet, you no longer need to feed," Natalie repeated the gist. "Remember what happened with that experimental drug back in Toronto, Nick? How do you know this is permanent?"  
  
"Because it is a gift from the Faerie Empress," Cybelle replied with certainty as she appeared from the mists. "Come, Lucius awaits you all at the El Gato Negro."  
  
"LaCroix's waiting for us?" the coroner wondered, a shiver running down her spine as she recalled the night from Azure.  
  
"It's going to be okay, Natalie," Steve reassured her.   
  
"If it's what I think it is, Nat, he won't be hurting anyone," Nick assured her. "Right, Cybelle?"  
  
"Indeed," the High Priestess concurred, motioning for them to enter and sealing herself and them inside once they had done so.  
  
****  
  
LaCroix sipped moodily from a glass of bloodwine, looking about the bar for answers to his unspoken questions. During the previous evening, a great deal had happened. First, his link to Nick had been severed suddenly. Then, Fleur appeared to him, telling him that the event had indeed happened. She had added that two other things were happening, needing his attention. The Renegades had regrouped in Toronto. Accordingly, he would fly there on the next available flight. Once there, Divia would be waiting for him as a fellow Elder along with the other members of the Council.  
  
"I don't believe that Nicholas is ready to be an Elder," he groused.  
  
"Someone thinks so," Janette disagreed, pouring herself a cup of bloodwine. "He has the respect of the Community, with a few exceptions. Besides with Dubois and Xena behind him, no immortal will cross him. Since I don't want the job personally, and he is my master, I'm supporting him."  
  
"I think so too," Vachon concurred with the the lady of the night.  
  
"Good point," the Roman admitted, albeit reluctantly. "Perhaps, he will finally make me proud. It's time for him to take his place in the Community." Considering the possibilities, he hoped that everything would finally work out the way he had always hoped...the way Destiny dictated. Ironically, Xena, Dubois, and Livia would assist in this process. All he had to do is stop fighting and go along with it. Seeing the aforementioned people enter the club, he greeted, "Please do come in."  
  
"Would you like a drink?" Janette proposed.  
  
"No thanks," Dave declined, taking a seat and watching the General very carefully. For tonight, he had decided to keep the Child under wraps in order to listen to what the Blowhard had to say for himself.  
  
"Remember what Angela and I talked with you about, David," Xena advised.  
  
"I know," he retorted sharply. Seeing the mists forming in the corner, he stated, "Ah great, they're here! Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"  
  
"I concur," Cybelle noted, guiding the others out of the mists. "We're here, Lucius. State your peace."  
  
The former Roman took another deep sip of his drink to deepen the anticipation in the room and to let them all who was truly in control of the situation. "In a minute. Are you sure you won't have some wine, Nicholas? It's truly divine."  
  
"No thanks. Not from you. Not anymore," the former knight disagreed, accepting a glass of straight white wine from Janette.  
  
"Get on with it, Lucius," Xena growled low, tapping her fingers on the table. "We don't have all night."  
  
The Elder frowned. "If you insist," he replied flatly. "Everyone, I have an announcement. I am leaving Tucson effective tomorrow evening. I have business to attend to in Toronto."  
  
"Talk about your urban renewal projects," Dave snickered.   
  
"Do you mind, Dubois?"   
  
The professor glared at the immortal. "Actually, I do, but please, continue. Humor us."  
  
"That is so kind of you," LaCroix stated, the sarcasm dripping from his words. "The Renegades have reorganized in Toronto, and I must meet their threat there. In my absence, Nicholas, you will be the city Elder and head of the Tucson Community. I trust you can hold things together in my absence?"  
  
Looking to Dave, Xena, Tracy, Nat, and Schanke each in turn, Nick declared, "I think I can, LaCroix. Attend to the Renegades. If you need the Community's assistance, you just have to ask for it."  
  
The General smiled warmly. "Thank you, Nicholas, for the gesture. I might have to hold you to it. Believe it or not, I am counting on everyone else to help hold order here as well. I never thought I would ask you, Xena, but..."  
  
The Warrior Princess was about to tell him to get lost, but quick looks from Gabrielle and Eve cut that response short. Instead, she shrugged, locking eyes with him and remarking with an intensity unique to herself, "Since I like peace and quiet, and I want the world to see that Nicholas is a better leader than you are, I'll be here as will we all. Rest assured of that, Lucius. Have fun with Divia. I hear she's chompin' at the bit to see ya." An icy smile spread across her face as she saw him wince at the thought of the teenaged vampiress.  
  
Collecting himself, he managed to respond somewhat cavalierly, "I think I will be able to hold my own this time." Finishing his drink, he concluded, "I bid you all vale. Remember, I'm trusting you all to keep the status quo." With that, he departed from the room, leaving the others to consider the weight of his words.  
  
"Madre de Dios!" Vachon realized after a few minutes. "Miles, you really are in charge."  
  
"He's really gone," Natalie added. "Nick, you're free."  
  
"In one sense, I am," the former Crusader assessed, refilling his glass with more wine. "On the other hand, I have a greater burden than ever, being an Elder and all."  
  
"I am glad to hear you say that, Nicolas," Janette interjected, placing her glass on the counter. "Despite what LaCroix said, the Community still has several problems."  
  
"And we'll help him any way we can," Tracy emphasized.  
  
"You said it," Schanke concurred. "Anythin' for a partner."  
  
"We're here with you all the way," Natalie concurred.  
  
"As are we," Dave chimed in, getting nods from the Amazon trio beside him. "Here's to an ordered community. While we have lots of work to do to get the ball rolling, I think we can work together to make things better."  
  
"You said it," Alyce agreed, clinking her glass against his.  
  
"Eli make it so," Eve wished, joining them along with everyone else in the room. For the first night, the hard work awaited, but things were off to a promising start....  
  
****  
  
Even as the toast was made, a mysterious rider in black sped down Fourteenth Street, looking around at the surroundings. Eventually, the bike stopped in front of the El Gato Negro, and the rider removed an equally dark helmet, allowing her brunette hair to spill forth. This was a new place for her, but there would be no rest as long as the goons persuing her were on her tail. Although she didn't understand why, the woman felt a tug to the bar. "Strange," she mused, putting her helmet back on. Gunning the throttle, she took off into the night, little suspecting what role she would play in the plans being hatched in that place and vice-versa.  
  
  
THE END (for now....)  
  
(**Well, another trilogy in the books!! Whew! I hope you enjoyed it! Anyhow, as you can see, there's still more coming in the **_ Dubois Chronicles_**! Look for "The New Girl in Town" where Nick and company run into the Mystery Biker soon! Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!**)   
  
  
  
  
  
  



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